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Obituary (VA): Jacob Calloway Brown '52

Posted on 09/17/2019

Jacob Calloway Brown of Arlington passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 7, 2019 at Sunrise Senior Living in Alexandria, VA.

Jake was born in Pikeville, KY and moved to Orlando, FL as a youth. He graduated from Orlando High School in 1946 and that summer he enlisted in the US Navy. A junior officer took note of Seaman Brown's leadership and intelligence and proposed that he study for the entrance exam to the US Naval Academy. After a successful year at the Naval Academy prep school in Bainbridge, MD, he entered the Naval Academy in 1948 and graduated as a member of the class of 1952. It was not all study for Jake. Two days after graduating, Ensign Brown made one of the better decisions of his life and married the beautiful and talented June Winters of Baltimore. Jake had a career of 34 years in the Navy, 12 of which were sea duty aboard five submarines. Along the way, he had duty stations in New London, CT, Baltimore, MD, Washington, DC, Arlington, VA, Norfolk, VA. Charleston, SC and Key West, FL. Jake graduated from the National War College in Washington, DC. Jake rose to the rank of Captain. Among his career achievements were Commanding Officer of the diesel submarine USS Trout and Commanding Officer Oceanographic Systems Atlantic which included 13 naval facilities from Nova Scotia to Puerto Rico. Following his retirement in 1980, Captain Brown's engagement with the Navy continued. His extensive experience with submarines and knowledge of that community put him in an ideal position to become a consultant to the Navy for the Trident Class Submarine program.

Jake was an avid power walker, loved doing crossword puzzles and sudoku, and also enjoyed rooting for the Washington Nationals and tailgating at Navy football games. But mostly he loved his wife, June, who doted on him and steered the ship at home for their 65 years of marriage and daughter Kathryn Nelson of Arlington, VA, son David Brown (Sue) of Gaithersburg, MD, grandsons Russell (Natalia) of Rockville, MD, Lt. Eric Brown on active duty serving on the USS Ronald Reagan in Japan, and sister, Joyce Oglesby of Williamsport, PA. Jake was preceded in death by his parents William Jerome Brown and Enid Hamlin Brown.

Jake checked all of the boxes. He had a long life of good health, love, enduring friendships, adventure, service and faith. He was a man of few words but showed who he was by his long service to his country, his many hours of volunteer work at Calvary United Methodist Church and his devotion to his beloved wife, June, and family.

A celebration of Jake's life will take place at 1 p.m. on Saturday, September 21, 2019 at Calvary United Methodist Church located at 2315 S. Grant St., Arlington, VA 22202 with a reception to follow.

Published in The Washington Post on Sept. 17, 2019