Ruskin W Brown

Ruskin W. Brown, 63, passed away from pancreatic cancer on January 2, 2014. He wanted all to know that he didn't die peacefully; he wasn't quite done with his ever-expanding list of projects, and he left for his trip to heaven kicking and screaming. Ruskin was born April 29, 1950 in West Palm Beach to Edwin W. Brown and Doris Montgomery Brown. He is survived by his wife, Julia Bower Brown, two daughters, Jeanette and Wellsley Brown, two sisters, Deedra Cook and Holly (David) Hastings, his brother, Victor Brown, and a large extended family of in-laws and nieces and nephews. Ruskin attended Mercer University where he majored in partying with his Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity brothers. Then God called him to minister to the sick as a devoted servant physician. Ruskin transferred to Vanderbilt University and went on to graduate from the Vanderbilt School of Medicine. He moved back to West Palm Beach and joined his father's urology practice where he served for 30-plus years. He was blessed with great partners, staff, colleagues and patients and enjoyed all parts of his medical practice with the exception of the electronic medical record. He had numerous hobbies and interests including: remodeling, rewiring, relandscaping (especially relocating sprinklers) and running to Home Depot. Before his shoulders and knees went out on him, he enjoyed water skiing, windsurfing, and snow skiing, and in later years switched to kayaking, paddleboarding, and crawling around the attic. He was an avid collector of friends and unquestionably had one of the largest and most exquisite collections known to man. In fact, in addition to his faith and his family, his collection of friends was one of his most treasured possessions. He had an uncanny ability of finding friends to add to his collection, and once he found one, he never let him or her go. He found paradise here on earth when he took up residence on Dolphin Drive in 1988. There he built the home of his dreams on the Loxahatchee, was blessed with a wife and two daughters who loved him like crazy, and enjoyed the greatest neighbors one could ever hope to have. Ruskin's life will be celebrated with a memorial service on January 11, 2014, at 2:00 p.m. at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, 400 Seabrook Road, Tequesta, FL. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd's Outreach Ministries or a donation to a charity of your choice. Ruskin's parting advice would be to either start or continue to build your own friend collection because in times of trouble, there is no greater support than that of a devoted friend. Ruskin would remind you of the following poem: "Friendship is a priceless gift that cannot be bought or sold; but to have an understanding friend is worth far more than gold." Go find your gold today. Ruskin is shining in heaven. Rest in peace, dear friend.

Ruskin W Brown

April 29, 1950 - January 2, 2014