Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Fort Simpson (Oct 14/05) - A man who had a passion to see young people succeed and who strove to make Fort Simpson a better place was laid to rest last week.

Ken Brown succumbed to cancer on Oct. 3. He was 66.

Ken Brown, seen here in his golf cart in June 2003, helped to establish the Seven Spruce golf course, was a village councillor, a school counsellor, UNW president, a justice of the peace and a devoted family man.

A few hundred people gathered at the Thomas Simpson school gym to pay their final respects to Brown on Friday. Among them was Cheryl Sibbeston, one of nearly 20 students who took Brown's Community Occupations Program (COP). It was aimed at senior high pupils who were at high risk of dropping out of school.

"We were all just a rowdy bunch when we got in there, but Ken was really patient with us when he sat down to talk to us individually," Sibbeston recalled.

"Something Ken worked on with a lot of us was self-esteem."

Kathy Tsetso, who was chair of the Local Education Authority at the time, said, "He influenced some of those kids, I know that."

Although Brown may have presented a gruff exterior, "he had the biggest heart," said Tsetso, and Sibbeston nodded in agreement.

Counsel to council

Brown, his wife Candy and their children moved to Fort Simpson in 1985. In addition to serving as a school counsellor, he was elected to village council.

Lindsay Waugh, a fellow councillor of the day who knew Brown for 20 years, penned and performed a tribute, "A Song for Ken," at the funeral. He said his devoted and enthusiastic colleague was "never short on a new idea or possibility."

"Ken was always willing to try something new and apply himself 100 per cent," according to Waugh.

In his spare time, Brown, who was instrumental in getting Seven Spruce golf course up and running, loved to be on the links and on the river. Wally Watson, a golfing and fishing buddy of 20 years, mentioned how he and Brown would boat over to Harris Creek and lose four or five lures apiece and laugh about it.

Over the past few years, Brown also became justice of the peace. He considered it one of his greatest contributions to the community, eulogist Nolan Swartzentruber said.

He was buried in his judge's robe.

RCMP Cpl. Al Shepherd said he respected Brown for his involvement in justice.

"We were honoured to be his pallbearers," said Shepherd.Above all, Brown was a family man. His eldest child, Dan, said he'll always remember his father's wealth of knowledge and advice. Having been a construction worker, heavy equipment operator, truck driver, fisherman, steel mill worker and logger prior to becoming university educated, Brown had experienced much in life, Dan noted.

"You could call him anytime. He was one to listen, and nine out of 10 times he'd been there, or been in a situation that was similar," Dan explained.

He added that his dad also acted as an "unofficial ombudsman" in the community, "going to bat" for numerous residents frustrated by bureaucratic obstacles.

"A lot of people would call him up," Dan said. "He knew how the system worked... he'd find a way."