Dear Editor:

This weekend I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of my dear friend, Mr. Ken Brown.

In the fall of 1990 I was scheduled to attend an alumni event at Harvard. Prior to the event, my wife and I made plans to arrive early and spend two days to see the coast of Maine, something neither of us had ever done. The next fall we went back, and were told to see Boothbay Harbor. Since 1992 we have been to Brown’s every year. Our fall trip evolved to summer and fall, our two day trip has grown to four weeks. We not only found a great place to vacation but also a very special place at Brown’s.

Here in Nashville at the end of an especially hard day or week I am often overheard saying, “Is it time to go to Maine?” and the Brown family became our “Maine” family.

Each time we arrived, Mr. Brown would be there with a hearty welcome and his contagious smile. I would often go over for coffee and we would discuss business, the economy or whatever was the latest relevant news story nationally or internationally. I became a sponge when I would ask questions about Maine, lobsters, the fishing industry and the history of Boothbay Harbor.

I will always remember those special times with Mr. Brown where I became the student of his wisdom and wide range of knowledge. Sitting on the deck at sunset or while having dinner in the “Salt Shed” I would often recite the stories that Mr. Brown had shared that afternoon.

All of us could continue about the things that made Mr. Brown such a unique person, but as I reflect on our friendship I will give you my conclusion. What made Mr. Brown such a special person is that he humbly tried to make everyone he touched feel special.

I am aware of the opinion that to be a “Mainer” you have to be born and live your life in Maine. Mr. Brown made a grateful couple from Nashville not only welcome but feel special and yes, for 4 weeks each year, I felt like a “Mainer.”

Larry and Cindia Bush
Nashville, Tenn.