Levi “Lee”‘s Obituary QUEENSBURY — Levi “Lee” H. Brown, 78, of Queensbury, NY, passed away on February 16, 2019, after an eight-year battle with dementia. Born in Vergennes, VT on April 25, 1940, he was the son of the late Onslow and Clara Jay Brown. After residing in Vermont during his early years, Lee lived in New Jersey and New York and graduated in 1958 from Norwich High School in Norwich, New York.
Lee was a talented athlete and played basketball and baseball in high school. He secured an athletic scholarship to The University of Vermont, graduated in 1963 with a BA degree in Liberal Arts, and excelled there athletically as well. While a student at UVM, Lee played on the varsity basketball and baseball teams.
Baseball became his primary focus during his last three years at UVM, where he captained the 1962 team that won a then school record 22 games and won the Yankee Conference title. While attending UVM, Lee signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Braves farm system. He went on to play minor league baseball for several years in Georgia, South Carolina, Texas, Washington and New York.
He moved up to AA and played with the Amarillo, TX Sonics and the Charlotte, NC Hornets. In 1979, Lee was inducted into the University of Vermont Athletic Hall of Fame. After retiring from baseball, Lee moved to Queensbury, NY, and was employed at the Glens Falls YMCA.
In 1971, he began his career at Adirondack Community College (ACC, now SUNY Adirondack) as Activities Director, where he coordinated student functions. Lee enjoyed working with the students at ACC and moved into a position as a Counselor. While working in this capacity, Lee attended the State University of New York at Plattsburgh and obtained his Master’s Degree in Counseling.
Lee’s career at ACC spanned 27 years, and he retired as Director of Admissions in 1998. He loved helping students find their career paths and supporting them throughout their years at ACC. Lee’s colleagues at ACC became lifelong friends that he stayed in touch with for many years.
Lee was an incredibly humble person and rarely talked about himself or his accomplishments. While Lee enjoyed being an athlete and an admissions counselor, his family was his primary focus and of the utmost importance to him. Lee was always planning family outings and trips, and never missed a school or sporting event for his three daughters.
While raising his family with his wife Jackie, he was active in the community and was a member of the Kiwanis Club, the Queensbury Country Club, and the Adirondack Counseling Association. He continued to play in recreational baseball and softball leagues. Lee enjoyed golfing and running and continued both throughout his life.
After retiring, Lee and Jackie cherished time spent traveling to visit their daughters and their seven grandchildren (affectionately called “The Magnificent Seven”) and having them visit at their home in Queensbury. He was always there to lend a helping hand to his children and grandchildren. Lee enjoyed the simple things in life, he always loved time spent with family and a good conversation with a friend.
Lee was predeceased by his parents, Onslow and Clara Brown, his sister Diana (Brown) Raintree, his Aunt Lucia (Brown) Redhead, his father in-law John Herbert, his mother in-law, Elizabeth Herbert, and his nephews, David Blair and Jay Blair. Lee is survived by his wife of 54 years, Jacqueline Brown and his daughters; Cindy Langdon of Putnam Valley, New York, Julie Leeret of Hopkinton, Massachusetts, and Tracey Brown of Charlotte, VT. He was a devoted grandfather to his seven grandchildren, John and Michael Langdon, Allison and Rachel Leeret, and Sam, Jack, and Evan Dore.
He was a father in law to Ron Langdon, Stephen Leeret and Lee Dore. He is survived by his in-laws, Norman and Linda Blair, David and Jane Springer, Paul and Lisa McKean, and their respective children: Kristin (Blair) Kehde, Jeff Springer, and Kate (Springer) Altum, and their spouses and children. Levi is also survived by his mother-in-law Andrea (Toby) Herbert and several cousins.
The family would like to thank Dr. William Tedesco for his exceptional care and advice over four decades. We would also like to acknowledge the staff at Pleasant Valley Nursing Home/Washington Center and The Stanton/Glens Falls Center for their compassionate care of Lee during his illness. Calling hours will be held on Friday, March 29, 2019, from 4 to 7 PM at Baker Funeral Home, 11 Lafayette Street, Queensbury, New York.
A celebration of Lee’s life will be held on Saturday, March 30th, 2019 at 11:00AM in the Northwest Bay Conference Center at SUNY Adirondack, North Campus, 640 Bay Road, Queensbury, NY. Please join us for a lunch reception immediately following the service. In memory of Lee, donations may be made by mail to the Alzheimer’s Association, Vermont Chapter, 300 Cornerstone Drive-Suite 130, Williston, VT, 05495.
Donations to the Alzheimer’s Association can also be made online at the family’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s fundraising page at: act. alz.org/site/TR? fr_id=12262&pg=personal&px=6258218 Condolences and floral arrangements may be sent directly to Baker Funeral Home, 11 Lafayette St., Queensbury, NY 12804, or through www.
bakerfuneralhome.com.
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