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Elizabeth Ellen Brown was born on January 15, 1957,at Middletown Hospital,
which served the Franklin, Ohio community. She left this world on Good
Friday, March 25, 1964, in Columbus, Ohio, at Children's Hospital. At that
time her home was in Urbana, Ohio. Franklin was the location for her family
while Chronicle. In 1957, the Brown Family moved to Urbana, Ohio, where her
father became the editor of the Urbana Daily Citizen. Her brief life of
seven years were filled with a love for the life she had as the older
sister of Clarence J. Brown, III, better known as Clancy, and the daughter
of Clarence J. Brown, Jr. and Joyce Eldridge Brown.
Elizabeth Ellen became Beth very early in her life. Beth was welcomed and
adored by her grandparents Clarence J. Sr. and Ethel Brown, Roy and Helen
Eldridge. Many happy hours were spent with friends and family. The
difficult hours began when she was diagnosed with acute lymphatic leukemia
when the family returned from a trip to Florida. The picture you see here
Beth Brown, age 4.
Left Click on Photo to Enlarge
was taken on that trip,
the last time she would enjoy a life free of leukemia.
Dr. Theodore E. Richards, Beth's family doctor, realized the seriousness of
a seemingly simple case of mumps and referred the Browns to Columbus
Children's Hospital where Dr. William A. Newton became her primary
physician. These two physicians and their commitment to the true meaning of
medicine has been personified by the years of volunteer service which they
have given as Chairman and Secretary respectively to the Beth Brown Memorial
Foundation. The Foundation was the inspiration of Beth's father, however,
without the support of the original Board, the continued success would not
have been possible. The Foundation became a 501(C)3 tax deductible
organization through the work of James Wachs of the Frost-Jacobs law firm
in Cincinnati, now Frost, Brown and Todd. The dedication of friends, Marvin
Humphrey, Doris and Bob Townsley helped to make the Foundation a success.
Their deaths have left not only the Beth Brown Memorial Foundation in their
debt, but also many Urbana community organization have felt their absence.
Beth
Brown, age 4, with her brother, Clancy, age 2.
Click on Photo to Enlarge
1965 gave the Foundation an added impetus. Two of Beth's grandparents died.
Ethel McKinney Brown and Clarence J. Brown, Sr. passed away within 6 months
of each other. Their years of dedicated service to the United States in
Congress for 27 years and to the State of Ohio as the youngest ever Lt.
Governor, and Secretary of State and to the village of Blanchester as a
newspaper family gave the Foundation an additional mission. The first
Scholarship in their names was awarded in 1966 and continues to be awarded
to a graduate from Blanchester High School. This award is given for Public
Service.
Robert N. Townsley's death in 1995 brought about another opportunity to
memorialize the years of community service given by the Townsley family. This
scholarship is given annually to a Lebanon High School graduate for Public
Service.
Since 1964, when the first scholarship of $500 was awarded to Linda Dubbs
of West Liberty, the number and size of scholarships have grown from a
single to multiple awards. Recipients have entered medical fields which
have changed over the years from nursing and medical doctors to include
nuclear medicine, physical therapy, pharmacy and bio-medical fields.
Recently, recipients were asked to comment on the impact the Beth Brown
memorial Scholarship has had on their lives. It has been heartwarming to
read their responses.
Beth
Brown, age 6.
Click on Photo to Enlarge
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