Harlen Henry Brown

A memorial service for Harlen Henry Brown of Lake Wales will take place at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, March 4, 2010 at the Marion Nelson Funeral Home Chapel in Lake Wales. A reception luncheon for family and friends will follow at the clubhouse in Crooked Lake Park.

Brown died Saturday, February 27, 2010 at his home following a long illness. He was 76 years old.

Born in Cleveland, OH on September 1, 1933, Brown first came to Lake Wales in 1982. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War.

Brown spent most of his professional career as a newsman in both broadcast and newspaper journalism. In his earlier days he was a writer for the South Dade News Leader and news director for WQDI radio station in Homestead. He also wrote for several newspapers in Crescent City, FL and Dadeville, AL before coming to Lake Wales, where he was news director at WIPC radio station and sports editor and chief photographer for the Lake Wales Daily Highlander. For several years he was co-announcer at Lake Wales High School football games. More recently he worked at The Free Press (newspaper) in Key Largo and also the Lake Wales News.

Brown belonged to many civic, news and service organizations, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Rotary and the American Legion, and volunteered as a first responder at the Key Largo Fire Department. In 1975 he received the South Dade Rotarians' Humanitarian of the Year Award. Over the years he also received recognition for his work from the Associated Press and United Press International. Brown nicknamed U.S. Highway 1 from Florida City to Key Largo "The Deadly Stretch" in the early 1970's and later received recognition from the State of Florida for his writings, which eventually led to the widening of the highway and the additions of other safety features which still exist along that highway today.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Sharyn Brown in 1994 and stepson, Chris Wayland in 2002. Brown is survived by his wife, Lillian Brown of Lake Wales; five daughters, Marie Smith of Bradenton, Lisa Noles of Punta Gorda, Tammy Stoddard of Hornell, NY, Barbara Harwood of Lakeland, Donielle Brown of Lakeland, and one stepdaughter, Wendy Labadie of Vero Beach; four sons, Dan Brown of Cranston, RI, Steve Brown of Fort Worth, TX, Chris Brown of Beorne, TX and Fred Brown of Frostproof; and two brothers, Larry Brown of Littleton, CO and George Brown of Tallahassee, 16 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

To view the webcast of his service, please click link below:
http://webcasts.lifetributes.com/123676