R. Gene Brown
Feb. 10, 1933-Feb. 23, 2020
Menlo Park, California

R. Gene Brown, a long time resident of Menlo Park and Woodside, passed away peacefully in his sleep on February 23, 2020 at the age of 87. 

Born Feb 10, 1933, in Loma Linda, CA to Eugene and Clara Brown. He attended San Diego State where he earned a BA in accounting. While at SDSU, he was captain of the basketball team, president of his fraternity, and lifeguarded on the beaches of San Diego.  Upon graduation he joined the Air Force.  After his discharge from active duty, he remained a member of the reserves, rising to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.  He received an MBA at UC Berkeley and a doctorate in accounting at the University of Ohio.  His first teaching job was at Harvard University.  He later joined the faculty of Stanford University where he also served as Dean of Admissions at the School of Business.  

His academic career was followed by involvement with several companies indelibly associated with the birth of Silicon Valley including Syntex and Advanced Micro Devices.  He concluded his long working life as a consultant for Putnam, Hayes & Bartlett and Cornerstone Research, where he was often sought out as an expert witness.  He testified in court for the plaintiff's winning arguments in Polaroid vs. Kodak, the largest patent infringement case up until that time.

Gene is survived by his wife Jagoda Michalik Brown and their son Jacek.  He was married to Ann Milikan Down for 21 years and had two children; Mike Brown and Cathy Dwulet.  He had four grandchildren; Greg and Natalie Dwulet, and Justin and Jessica Brown. 

He had a love of life, sports, travel, adventure and family.  He will be remembered by many as an advisor and mentor.  He will be especially missed by his grandchildren, some of whom have followed in his academic footsteps.  One of them, nearing the completion of his PhD, delivered a eulogy that perfectly embodied all of the qualities of Gene's long life.  He included this inscription in his doctoral thesis:  “I must conclude by acknowledging Professor Emeritus Doctor R. Gene Brown -- known instead to me as “grandpa.”  Through his great kindness, tremendous intellect, and unbounded curiosity, he has been a meaningful role model to me as a person and an academic, and I am where I am today in large part because of his unwavering support. This dissertation is dedicated to him. “ 

Tags: veteran, teacher/educator, business