Robert E. Brown, 74
Was U.S. veteran; lifelong Townsend resident

TOWNSEND — Robert E. “Duke” Brown, 74, of 274 Wallace Hill Road, died Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2006, at HealthAlliance Hospital/ Leominster, after a brief illness.

H e was born in Fitchburg on Sept. 25, 1932, the son of Roy E. “Bunk” and Edna M. (Walker) Brown and was a lifelong Townsend resident. He was a 1950 graduate of Townsend High School and during the Korean Conflict served his country in the United States Army.

Mr. Brown worked several years as a stainless steel fabricator at the Laakso Company in Leominster, retiring in 1997. Prior to that he worked many years as the service manager at Matthews Chevrolet, Fitchburg.

He was a member of the Miller-Terrell American Legion Post in Townsend and was a former member of the Townsend Couples Club. He had served as a commissioner in the Townsend Cemetery.

Mr. Brown is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Deborah L. and Gary Welterlen of Santa Barbara, Calif.; a brother, Richard Brown of Townsend; a sister, Arlene V. Banks of Greenbush, Maine; two grandchildren, Gordon Welterlen of Santa Barbara, Calif. and Greta Welterlen of Boulder, Colo. He was the husband of Lucille A. (Smith) Brown who died in March 2001. He was the brother of the late Stephen Brown of Maine who died in 1993 and Donald Brown of Townsend who died in 1981.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Townsend Historical Society, P.O. Box 95, Townsend, MA 01469.

T.J. Anderson & Son Funeral Home directed arrangements.