Alan Charlton Brown

Alan C. Brown, a resident of Aptos Ridge Circle in Santa Cruz county for the past thirty years, passed away peacefully at his home on May 25, surrounded by his loving family. He was 92 years old.

Alan was born in Whitley Bay, England, in 1929. He was the only child of Stanley and Dorothy Brown. He met his wife Gwen, in the town of Beverly, in Yorkshire, England. They would have celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary this coming July.

From a young age, Alan knew that he wanted to design airplanes. He apprenticed at Blackburn Aircraft in England, then went on to study aeronautical engineering at Cranfield University, also in England. He then worked at Bristol Aeroplane Company as an aerodynamicist.

Alan and Gwen emigrated to Los Angeles in 1956, where he became a research associate and lecturer at the University of Southern California. Before long, he was recruited by Lockheed Martin Aerospace company, where he spent a long and illustrious career. He led the development of the F-117 Nighthawk Stealth Fighter, and then went on to run all of Lockheed's stealth technology development efforts. He received prestigious awards from the American Institute of Aeronatics and Astronautics and the National Academy of Engineering, including the Reed Award, the J.C. Hunsaker Award, and the Daniel Guggenheim Medal for his engineering innovation and leadership. He was also awarded an honorary Ph.D from Cranfield University.

Besides being a top-notch scientist, Alan also played the piano, built musical instruments and furniture, briefly owned The London Gallery in Los Angeles, coached soccer, and travelled the world extensively with his wife, Gwen. He got involved in the theater at Stanford University during the 1960's, during which time he acted in various productions, the most notable of which was when he played Friar Lawrence in Romeo and Juliet.

After retiring, he became an active member of the RC Bees Club, for which he built and flew numerous model airplanes that were historically accurate renditions of real airplanes. He also became an active participant and adviser to Watsonville High School's MESA club, where he coached student members in the construction of model airplanes for competitions.

Alan was a wonderful father to his four daughters, Yvonne, Christine, Diane and Maureen. He exposed them to art and music and theater when they were young. He took them to faraway places, including a camping trip to Morocco, and showed them what an interesting place the world is. He demonstrated that it is possible to work hard and still have fun, to be both brilliant and silly. He was an inspring role model in so many ways; a true Renaissance man who used both his brain and his hands to accomplish great things. Alan also imparted to his daughters the importance of standing up for social justice. He once took two of them with him on a fair housing march when they were young children. He continued to support numerous charities throughout his life.

Anyone who knew Alan, knew that one of his most endearing qualities was his quick wit and great sense of humor. He loved to recite funny stories and poems, and sing silly songs. He truly was the life of every party. Alan was well loved, and will be greatly missed by family and friends.

He is survived by his wife, Gwen Brown; his daughters, Yvonne Long, Christine Kopecky, Diane Tipton, and Maureen Brown, and his sons-in-law, Robert Long and Trace Tipton. He is also survived by his cousins, Ron Brown, Hazel Reyne, and Kathleen Marshall; and his nieces Carolyn Garland, Angela Wilson, and Gillian Johnston, all residents of England. And his legacy lives on through his grandchildren, Kai Kopecky, Aleia Tipton and Bryce Tipton.

A celebration of life will be announced at a later date.

Published in The Pajaronian · June 16, 2022