Hal Wiley Brown's Obituary
Obituary
As condolences came in, one of his most ardent admirers said, “The world has lost an
absolute legendary example of integrity, a man of honor we all respect. We will all sadly
miss him.” Another read, “I always thought of Hal as a model of the ideal man… they
broke the mold when he came into our lives.”
Lt. Col. Hal Brown, USAF (retired) passed away at age 93 from natural causes on
Saturday May 4, 2024, at the San Diego Naval Medical Center, surrounded by his
family. He was finally reunited with his beloved wife, Elba.
Hal was born in Oklahoma, then as a child resided in Sandersville, Georgia, at his
family’s ancestral home, “The Brown House”. The house is now distinguished as a
historical site because during the civil war, Union General William Tecumseh Sherman
and his troops spent the night there before continuing on their famous march to the sea.
When he was 5 years old, his father died of a heart attack, prompting his mother to
move to Texas for work. She had to place Hal and his brother in the care of relatives
who had a farm. Hal adapted well to the duties of life on a farm. He would say that
plowing the fields gave him the opportunity to observe the clouds which initiated his
interest in meteorology.
In 1959, while still a student at the University of Texas, he was about to be drafted into
the Army, but joined the Air Force instead. Little did he know that as an Air Force Officer
he would later serve the Army for 8 years as their meteorologist. His first duty station as
a weather officer was Fairbanks,Alaska where his amazing stories began at 42 degrees
below zero and under the Northern Lights, known as the Aurora Borealis.
When he was called to the Vietnam War, weather conditions were the extreme opposite
from that of Alaska. The danger level had heightened considerably, but his gregarious
nature led to many positive experiences in the midst of the negative aspects of war.
After acquiring some Spanish in Texas, he learned Italian easily while he was stationed
in Romeo and Juliet’s hometown of Verona, Italy. With beautiful sights and sounds,
delicious food, and the grand “piazzas” where he watched the passersby from his
balcony, Italy and its people became fascinating to him. More amazing stories ensued
from his trips to the Dolomites, skiing on the Zugspitze, sailing on Lago di Garda, and
interacting with his Italian Military counterparts.
He left Italy in 1969 having served under generals who held him in high regard for his
meticulous work and utmost commitment to his duties. They also admired him for his
ability to lead well and make the best of every situation. His last duty station was in
direct proximity to the Golden Gate Bridge at the Presidio of San Francisco. By this time
in his military career, he had attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
In 1973 he retired from the Air Force after 20 years, 2 months, and 12 days, as he liked
to put it. His military career had ended, but not long afterward, a second career would
begin for Hal. He took a position in San Diego as the Senior Meteorologist at the Air
Pollution Control District. He was recognized for his valuable work and at one point,
saved the city of San Diego over $1,000,000.00 in efforts to keep our air clean.
As if things weren’t going well enough, fate beckoned him to reconnect with his
sweetheart, Elba, from his early military days. They were more mature now, both
divorced and she had three teenagers. He’d tell us, “I must have been crazy!” But as
their joint epitaph says, “Love conquers all”. They were married in 1976 and their home
became the gathering place for a large family.All of Elba’s loved ones became his loved
ones. They traveled far and wide, fulfilling Elba’s dreams of seeing the world. Hal’s
popularity grew enormously when they visited Elba’s native country, Ecuador. The
gregarious gringo, with a great sense of humor, amazed everyone with his knowledge of
Ecuador and the many expeditions he took there. He will be missed far and wide.
He is survived by his daughters Patricia (Victor) Castillo, Virginia (Joe) Norwood, niece
Maria (Bill) Fahey, nephew Albert (Ramona) Parsons, sister-in-law Raschel (Gustavo
Poveda), ten grandchildren, two grand nieces, two grand nephews, two greatgrandsons, one great nephew, many friends and loved ones.
What’s your fondest memory of Hal?
What’s a lesson you learned from Hal?
Share a story where Hal's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Hal you’ll never forget.
How did Hal make you smile?
