C. Edward Brown

C. Edward Brown, 72, of Bloomington, passed away August 27, 2023, ending an arduous battle with cancer. The only child of educators, Ross and Bobbie Brown, he was born in Salem, Indiana, and spent his childhood in Washington County.  His early years were filled with activities and he was often a tag-a-long on school trips and events, shaping his adult professional life.

A dedicated Purdue fan, Ed received his B.S. in Wildlife Biology, and Teacher Certification in Vocational Agriculture from Purdue University where he was a member of the All-American Marching Band and FarmHouse Fraternity.  After teaching briefly in Orleans, he finished his M.S. in Education and earned a Certificate of Administration in Vocational Education.  His employment was always connected to education, from Purdue University, to the State of Indiana, Ivy Tech and finally as Director of Hoosier Hills Career Center for 21 years.  He served as president of IACTED, and was active in many additional related professional organizations.

Ed stayed involved with community through 4-H and served on various boards, including the Monroe Fire Protection District.  He was a member of First United Methodist Church and the Masonic Lodge.  Fishing, hunting, and raising a long line of pet Tennessee Walking Horses were favorite pastimes, along with growing champion cabbage and kale exhibits for the Monroe County Fair.  He loved music, enjoyed playing trumpet and was an avid reader.

His family was small but lovingly tight-knit.  He and wife, Michele, were married nearly 50 years and proudly raised son, JT (Kay) and daughter, Tierney Aldridge (Ryan) who all survive.  He was blessed with grandchildren, twins Olivia and Violet, and their brother Cullen Brown, as well as special nieces, Deana and Ainsley McGraw. 

A gathering of Ed’s friends and family will be from noon until 2:00 pm on Saturday, September 16, 2023 at The Funeral Chapel of Powell and Deckard, with a Memorial Service starting at 2:00 pm officiated by Brad Pontius.

Please consider donations to Purdue University Center for Cancer, Darrell B. Sims Cancer Research Endowment (https://connect.purdue.edu/s/picr, or Purdue for Life Foundation, 201 S. University Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907) or to the Monroe Fire Protection District Auxiliary (MFD Auxiliary, 3953 S. Kennedy Drive, Bloomington, IN 47401).