Farewell Michael Brown
23 June 2012
Hall and district community members have been very saddened to hear of the passing of Michael Brown, who died suddenly on Wednesday 20th June.
Michael has been an active and committed contributor to a wide range of community organisations and causes over many years, working with cheerful purposefulness to help where he saw help was needed.
He will be well remembered by all those who in the 1980's revived, and put back on the ACT map, the Hall Volunteer Bushfire Brigade. Working closely with successive Captains Brian O'Connor, Kevin Bolton and Andy Fulton, Michael was a reliable and highly capable committee member and also represented the Brigade at the ACT Bush Fire Brigades Association.
Others may have known him best for his contributions as a member of the congregation of St Francis Xavier Church - a choir member, organiser in general, and the organiser in particular of the annual Easter-time 'Stations of the Cross' ceremony. In the finest spirit of ecumenism, Michael played a leading role in bringing the Catholic, Uniting and Anglican congregations together for this special occasion, which this year attracted some two hundred participants.
He was also well-known, with his wife Pam, as a long-standing member of the Rotary Club of Hall. Michael held a range of positions with the Club, including a turn as President in 2005. Hall Rotary have posted their own tribute to Michael, which includes details of his impressive public service career. This included a period as Senior Private Secretary to the Federal Minister for Territories, and a stint as Director of the ACT Consumer Affairs Bureau.
Most recently, Michael was a founding member of the Hall and District Mens Shed - having seen another small community initiative with power for good, that could use some help getting on its feet. When the first steps at building an organisation structure were taken Michael became one of the two Leading Hands, alongside Foreman Mike Fitzpatrick.
This is by no means a full account of the many ways in which Michael gave service to his community, but these involvements typify his style. A 'practical theorist' - a man who thought deeply about the social structures he was part of, and acted out of deeply held values of care and compassion. In this he was also wonderfully practical; what many in his congregation remember first of him was his diligence in collecting and driving to the church for Mass a congregation member with a disability. Mike knew which end of a shovel to put his hands on.
He was also a family man. Our deep sympathy and warmest thoughts, on behalf of the Hall and district community, go to Pamela and their large extended family. Rest in peace Michael.
[photo: thanks to Rotary]