Obituary: Peter Blake Brown, 69, of Branford

Obituary courtesy of the family.

Peter Blake Brown, 69, of Branford, CT and Charleston, SC, passed away on March 16, 2022 after a courageous battle with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. He was born on July 3, 1952 in Mount Kisco, NY to the late Cameron and Katrina Brown. He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Susan Carloni Brown; children, Duncan (Marissa), Tristan (Kara), Cameron, and Lillian; granddaughters, Isabelle and Adalynn; brother, Cameron “Jay” Brown (Lori); and his nieces and nephew.

After spending his early childhood in New York, Peter and his family moved to Guilford, CT to be closer to their beloved summer home on one of Branford’s Thimble Islands, Pot Rock Island. He graduated from Guilford High School and the University of Connecticut. He was a dedicated UConn Huskies basketball fan until his final days.

Peter and Susan enjoyed many adventures together. Their marriage began with a yearlong cruise to the Bahamas on their 33 foot sailboat, Pearl. When they returned to Branford, they embarked on their next adventure: raising four incredible children. Although Peter had long careers in banking and commercial real estate, he never missed an opportunity to be with his children. He could be found coaching soccer on Saturday mornings or building sets for the Branford High School musicals on weekends and evenings. He was his children’s biggest fan, and his ear-splitting whistle was recognizable by everyone on the bleachers or in the auditorium.

Peter continued to spend summers on Pot Rock Island, where he eventually built his own house. “Island life” always included family, friends, and much laughter. He was a great jokester and storyteller, who was known to “never let the facts get in the way of a good story.” One of Peter’s greatest joys was sailing, and he became an avid dinghy racer as a member of the Thimble Islands Sailing Club. He passed his love of the sport on to his children, who each, in turn, became his crew during Sunday afternoon races.

After Peter and Susan became “empty nesters,” they began their final adventure in Charleston, SC, a beautiful port city they fell in love with during their cruising days on Pearl. Although this last chapter was shorter than planned, Peter, as always, lived life to the fullest. Riding his bike through the historic streets, sailing on Charleston Harbor, and making new friends were some of his favorite pastimes. The birth of his precious granddaughters brought him the most joy.

It’s hard to imagine life without Peter Brown, but he will always be remembered as a devoted and loving husband, father, grandad, uncle, brother, and friend. We will miss him deeply. A celebration of his life will take place this summer; more information will be forthcoming.

Contributions in his memory may be made to the Branford Community Foundation, PO Box 462, Branford, CT 06405, www.branfordcommunityfoundation.org; or Charleston Community Sailing, charlestoncommunitysailing.org/support/donate/.