Beverley Merl Brown
October 4, 1924 — October 25, 2017
Beverley Merl Brown, 93, previously of Topeka, Kansas and Princeton, New Jersey diedpeacefully on October 25, 2017 at his home in Ocean Ridge, Florida.
Beverley was born in Topeka, Kansas on October 4, 1924 to Lemuel Clifford Walker Brown and Jessie Alice Miller Brown. He spent his childhood in Topeka, graduating from Topeka High School in 1942. He attended Washburn University, but left college in 1944 to enlist in the United States Naval Reserve Midshipmen's School. After receiving an Ensign’s Commission, Beverley saw active duty aboard the USS Floyd B Parks. Following the war, he returned to Washburn, completing his undergraduate degree in 1947. He then went on to attend Columbia University where he received a Masters of Science Degree in Mathematics.
After a brief career in teaching, Beverley had a long and distinguished career with the IBM Corporation, retiring in 1983 after 30 years of service. Among his many professional accomplishments was his role as a member of the team of systems engineers who developed the SABRE system. Based on two IBM 7090 mainframe computers, SABRE went on to become the industry standard in computerized airline reservation systems. Bev’s love for math and computers remained throughout his life; in his spare time he continued to study mathematical problems and write computer programs in APL (A Programming Language).
Beverley was a loving husband and father. He enjoyed sports, above all baseball; secretly wishing to have played professionally for the St. Louis Cardinals. He took great pleasure in both theater and music and was a regular in attendance at the Princeton University Theatre Intime. A life-long member of the Princeton United Methodist Church, he volunteered in an advisory capacity for their finance committee. Most of all, he had a great sense of humor and appreciated comedians such as Victor Borge, Tim Conway, and Jerry Seinfeld.
He is preceded in death by his wife of fifty-two years, Margaret Shepard Brown and hisparents, Lemuel and Jessie Brown. He is survived by his five children; Terry Brown, Amy Brown, Nancy Kauffman, Janet Helm, and Anne Marie Schur, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
A Gathering of family and friends will be held at Scobee-Combs-Bowden Funeral Home, corner of US Hwy. #1 & NE 15th Ave., Boynton Beach from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM on Tuesday, October 31, 2017. The Graveside Service with Military Honors will be held at 10:45 AM on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017 at the South Florida National Cemetery, Lake Worth, FL Lane #3.
In lieu of flowers, the family would ask that memorial donations may be made to The Washburn University Terry and Ann McAdam Scholarship Fund, 1700 SW College Ave, Topeka, KS 66621, or a military charity of your choice.
The family wishes to extend their sincere gratitude to all of Beverley’s amazing caregivers and the Aker Kasten Health Care Agency for their dedication, care and support throughout this journey.
Beverley was born in Topeka, Kansas on October 4, 1924 to Lemuel Clifford Walker Brown and Jessie Alice Miller Brown. He spent his childhood in Topeka, graduating from Topeka High School in 1942. He attended Washburn University, but left college in 1944 to enlist in the United States Naval Reserve Midshipmen's School. After receiving an Ensign’s Commission, Beverley saw active duty aboard the USS Floyd B Parks. Following the war, he returned to Washburn, completing his undergraduate degree in 1947. He then went on to attend Columbia University where he received a Masters of Science Degree in Mathematics.
After a brief career in teaching, Beverley had a long and distinguished career with the IBM Corporation, retiring in 1983 after 30 years of service. Among his many professional accomplishments was his role as a member of the team of systems engineers who developed the SABRE system. Based on two IBM 7090 mainframe computers, SABRE went on to become the industry standard in computerized airline reservation systems. Bev’s love for math and computers remained throughout his life; in his spare time he continued to study mathematical problems and write computer programs in APL (A Programming Language).
Beverley was a loving husband and father. He enjoyed sports, above all baseball; secretly wishing to have played professionally for the St. Louis Cardinals. He took great pleasure in both theater and music and was a regular in attendance at the Princeton University Theatre Intime. A life-long member of the Princeton United Methodist Church, he volunteered in an advisory capacity for their finance committee. Most of all, he had a great sense of humor and appreciated comedians such as Victor Borge, Tim Conway, and Jerry Seinfeld.
He is preceded in death by his wife of fifty-two years, Margaret Shepard Brown and hisparents, Lemuel and Jessie Brown. He is survived by his five children; Terry Brown, Amy Brown, Nancy Kauffman, Janet Helm, and Anne Marie Schur, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
A Gathering of family and friends will be held at Scobee-Combs-Bowden Funeral Home, corner of US Hwy. #1 & NE 15th Ave., Boynton Beach from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM on Tuesday, October 31, 2017. The Graveside Service with Military Honors will be held at 10:45 AM on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017 at the South Florida National Cemetery, Lake Worth, FL Lane #3.
In lieu of flowers, the family would ask that memorial donations may be made to The Washburn University Terry and Ann McAdam Scholarship Fund, 1700 SW College Ave, Topeka, KS 66621, or a military charity of your choice.
The family wishes to extend their sincere gratitude to all of Beverley’s amazing caregivers and the Aker Kasten Health Care Agency for their dedication, care and support throughout this journey.
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