In December 1964, the Rev.
Donald Brown, coming from Immanuel Lutheran church,
Troy, N.Y., where he had been pastor since September 1960, began his duties
at St. Mark’s. Earlier ministries had been at Calvary Lutheran Church, Springfield,
Ohio; Christ’s Mission to the Jews of Pittsburgh, Pa.; and St. James’ Lutheran
church, East Cleveland, Ohio. Pastor Brown, a native of Rochester, N.Y. was
a graduate of Wittenberg College and Hamma Divinity School.
He was installed as St. Mark’s pastor on
Jan. 10, 1965, by the Rev. Dr. Anton
L. Anderson, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Springfield. Pastor Brown was
active in the Fairborn Association for Integrated Residence, and the Fairborn
Ministerial Association, serving as president from 1965 to 1967.
He was on
the American Mission Stewardship and Liturgical Committees of the Ohio Synod
of the Lutheran Church in America. While he served as pastor, plans were approved
for extensive improvement to the parish, the initial step being installation
of an Allen Electric organ in the balcony. During that same period St. Mark’s
had an active role with volunteer services and, along with other churches in
Fairborn, worked to establish a Neighborhood Service Center at Kaufman and Rice
in South Fairborn.
Pastor Brown conducted his last worship service at St. Mark’s on
Aug. 31, 1969.
He left Fairborn to teach religion and philosophy at Ashland (Ohio) College.
He died July 26, 1997, in Tiffin, Ohio, at the age of 64. Burial was in Rochester,
N.Y. He was survived by his wife of 39 years, Regina, and their three children,
Donald, Rebekah, and Cathryn.
