Andrea Brown
To all who loved Roger, this is a message from the Browns in Montana, where he spent a few years teaching in the 60s.
Roger was considered a dear family friend to us, even though time and distance kept us all apart for so long. We got hilarious letters from him now and then, and updates on his family and his life in Michigan. They always ended with an open invitation to all or any of us.
In my possession I have a lovely little Blue Willow china tea set that he gave me the Christmas of 1964 when I was five. He was generous and kind with all 8 of us and you could tell he was going to be a fantastic father and husband and sweetheart someday. We have a short 8mm film clip of him walking in the forest with our dad, Fred, as we picked wildflowers. We were pretty sure that Santa’s nose one Christmas looked a LOT like Roger’s, even under the beard.
Luckily I got to see him again in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 2005 when he attended Julie’s Silver Jubilee with the Sisters of Mercy. What fun that was. We all felt like no time had passed and were completely at home with him once again. And he got to visit Libby again a few years ago, which has changed so much since he lived there. The mountains and trees and streams that he loved so much still remain, though.
Reading all these tributes from former students, neighbors, friends, and family must make you all so proud of him. What a beautiful world he created for all of you, and us.
Peace and love to you all.
From the Browns: Marilee, our mom, Mike, Barb, Julie, Paul, Peggy, Andrea (myself), Jennifer, and Frank.
