Wallace 'Bud' Brown

Wallace "Bud" Brown, RR#4 Lawrenceville, passed away on Friday, October 28, 2011 at Lawrence County Memorial Hospital. He was born March 19, 1931 in Vandalia, IL. Survivors include his wife Ellen Ann (Fitch) Brown, son Doug Brown, daughter and son-in-law Dana and Sam Worland, and two wonderful granddaughters Olivia and Lexi Worland, all of Vincennes; mother-in-law Regina Fitch of Lawrenceville; brothers and sisters-in-law, Russ and Jo Ann Fitch, Aurora CO, Ed and Carolyn Fitch, Urbana, IL, Karen and Jack David, Bedford, TX, Linda and John Ingram, Mission, TX and Wayne Schmitt, Vandalia, IL, many nieces, nephews, and wonderful friends. Bud was preceded in death by his mother and step-father Dana and Del Bigler,, his father Kenneth Brown, one sister Aileen Schmitt, grandmother Nellie Brown and father-in-law Andrew M. Fitch. Bud graduated from Vandalia High School and Eastern Illinois University. Bud taught Art at the Lawrenceville High School for almost 30 years. He was talented in wheel thrown pottery, jewelry design, drawing, painting and wood carving. He instilled those talents in hundreds of young people. Anyone who knew Bud knew that he had a great love of aviation and especially soaring. He was a charter member and founding father of the Wabash Valley Soaring Association. He was a certified flight instructor and taught dozens of people the art of soaring. He was also known for his talents in building and rebuilding sailplanes. He mentored others in this craft. One of his other interests was building and flying model airplanes and has a lot of trophies and plaques in this sport. He promoted the sport by acting as a contest director at dozens of events held at the Lawrenceville Airport (Mid America Air Center) as well as other locations. Bud also loved fishing , boating, and British Sports Cars. He was restoring a 1952 MG TD Roadster. He and Ellen enjoyed spending the winter months at South Padre Island, Texas for ten plus years. Bud's memberships included-Illinois Retired Teachers Association, Soaring Society of America, Vintage Sail Plane Association, Vintage Glider Club, National Soaring Museum, Elmira, NY, Experimental Aircraft Association, Academy of Model Aeronautics, Society of Antique Modelers, National Free Flight Society, and his name is listed in the Air and Space Museum at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC for Soaring; a member of Lawrenceville Elks, Lawrence County Arts Council and former Lawrenceville Rotary Club member. Bud loved his family, especially his granddaughters, very much. The family wishes to invite friends and family to join in a time of fellowship and remembrance, Saturday, November 5th from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. (Central Time) at the Wabash Valley Soaring Association Club House, located at the Lawrenceville Airport (Mid America Air Center). A graveside service will follow at the St. Thomas Cemetery south of Vincennes at 2:30 p.m. (Central Time) with Father Dave Fleck officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: The Wabash Valley Soaring Association, Lawrenceville Public Library, Lawrence County Memorial Hospital Foundation, or a charity of the donor's choice. Directions to the WVSA clubhouse: East from Lawrenceville on Hwy 50 about 1.5 to 2 miles, or West from Vincennes about 7 miles, exit at the sign for the airport. Follow the main road for 3 miles (it goes NE and is curvy). You will see a large sign on the right that says "Mid America Air Center-Lawrenceville-Vincennes Airport". Do not turn here, just keep going. The road will curve to the right and go past Kauffman Engineering. You will come to a Y; take the left fork (N. Tinker Road). Keep going straight 0.5 mi and you will come to an electric gate (hopefully it will be open). Drive on in. The Soaring Club has two hangars; the club house is attached to the side of the second one. The hangars are white with blue trim. Go slow, watch out for people, airplanes, golf carts and a cat. Do not drive out on the taxi way or the runway! We will meet you there (Saturday, November 5, 2011). Ellen, Doug, and Dana