In Remembrance: William H. Brown, Professor Emeritus of Chemistry
Brown joined Beloit’s faculty in 1964. Over a 35-year tenure, he earned a reputation as a kind and patient mentor who fostered students’ understanding of chemistry, especially organic chemistry. For many, he helped uncover a curiosity about the subject they didn’t realize they had.
In an alumni Facebook group post, one former student wrote, “I loved Professor Brown. I found an interest in chemistry that had previously been lacking. ‘Everything is made of chemicals’ is what I tell my kids. He changed my way of seeing.”
Brown was twice named Beloit’s Teacher-of-the-Year, and his prolific authorship of organic chemistry textbooks extended his teaching expertise to students around the world. His textbooks became widely used classics and included three titles that resulted in 40 new editions and translations into Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, and Spanish.
In his obituary, the family said that he could have boasted about the recognition he received for his textbooks, “but he was always more likely to talk about the joy of teaching or helping students with a particularly challenging task in the laboratory.”
Brown attended St. Lawrence University on a scholarship, earned his master’s degree at Harvard University, and his Ph.D. from Columbia University.
He is survived by his wife, Carolyn Simonton, four children, including Dave Brown’91, and eight grandchildren.