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Dr. Aaron D. Brown
Dr. Aaron Brown passed away in the loving company of his family, after a dogged and dignified battle with cancer. Born in Binghamton, New York, to Patricia and Donald Brown, he is survived by his wife, Janice; his daughters, Teresa, Chandra and Athena; and his parents.
Aaron attended Oberlin College, after which he taught in Thailand for two years as a Shansi Rep. His work at UCR and UCSB preceded his professorship at Los Angeles City College, (LACC,) where he taught chemistry and environmental science. He served as vice-chair of Chemistry and Geophysical Sciences in 2006, and was secretary of the LACC Academic Senate 2002-2006. He loved science, and he loved igniting students’ desire to learn. He was founding advisor to the LACC Environmental Club and to the award-winning LACC Science Club, which has a chapter of the Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society, rare for community colleges. He organized and encouraged student participation in Earth Day and National Mole Day. Dr. Brown was one of two LACC coordinators for the Cal State Los Angeles “Bridges to the Future” program, which identifies promising underrepresented minority students and steers them toward careers in biomedical research.
He was involved with the American Chemical Society “Kids in Chemistry” project, providing elementary school students with hands-on experience in chemistry, and spent time in elementary classrooms to assure quality science education for children. Aaron taught children’s religious ed., and served on the local board of his beloved Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara. He was one of the founders of the local Cesar Chavez Dual Immersion Charter School, and supplied and maintained the computers as well as serving as board treasurer for a year. A lover of art, Aaron participated twice in the Aphrodite Project, a program founded by JoAnn Blatter to bring together artists and cancer survivors in creative and healing endeavors. He was a loving husband and father, taking his family on camping trips to many wilderness areas to share his love of nature, and supporting them in their personal growth.
A kind and gentle man, he loved dancing and music, and played clarinet in the SBCC Concert Band. His valiant efforts to survive involved many experimental trials that will serve in furthering research to solve the riddle of kidney cancer.
A memorial service for Dr. Brown will be held on Saturday, May 26, at 2:00 p.m. at the Unitarian Society at 1535 Santa Barbara Street. In lieu of flowers, you are invited to donate to either a scholarship in his name at LACC, (contact Dr. Freitas at 323 953 4000, ext. 2600, or freitaje@lacitycollege.edu,) or the education of his children via: A.Brown Children Educational Fund at Santa Barbara Bank & Trust, attn Dave Hall, V.P. at 20 E. Carrillo, Santa Barbara, 93101
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