Remembering the legacy and impact of Greg Brown at The Beaver County Times
HOPEWELL TWP. – When discussing memories of Greg Brown, one of the first things that people mention is the journalist's sense of humor and iconic laugh that could fill a room.
"He was larger than life and had this booming laugh," said Bob Bauder, a longtime friend and fellow journalist who worked with Brown at various newspapers. "I mean, we would be sitting there at the Elks, when he laughed you could hear it, man. He erupted."
A passionate advocate for local journalism and community-based reporting, Brown's career and life are being celebrated by friends, family and former coworkers after the newsman passed away on May 10. At age 66, the longtime editor and writer was a major influence in local newsrooms, as well as serving as a great friend to many in the region.
“Greg was a journalist through and through. It was his life’s work and his passion,” said Patricia Brown, his wife. “He believed wholeheartedly in the idea that a strong free press was necessary for a civil society, and held himself to the highest standards for that.”
With a degree in journalism from Penn State University, Brown started his career as a reporter at Waynesburg's Democrat Messenger. While on the staff at the paper, he would eventually move into an editorial position at the newsroom before moving into the city editor position at The Beaver County Times. After the Times, he also served in editor roles at the Tribune-Review and the Pittsburgh Catholic.
Brown's style of reporting focused on informing the community using a hyperlocal style of story, which led to the editor becoming a strong voice and leader within the Times newsroom's content. By showing local reporters the importance of presenting these sometimes dry subjects to readers, he created a focus on content that is still present in many stories today.
"Under his guidance, those folks were covering and reporting on stories that were important to people who might not otherwise have known about whether it was a school board meeting or a municipal government meeting," said Tom Bickert, who served as an editor alongside Brown at the Times. "He was very good at showing reporters why that was important to readers, and helping them produce stories that had impact in their communities so that readers knew that there might be a tax hike, or there was going to be layoffs or things like that. But he was just very good at guiding the local news direction."
"Greg was an old-time newsman," Bauder said. "He knew a news story when he saw one and he would go after it. He knew the news business and he was a hell of a journalist. He was also just a good dude."
Industry professionals also took note of the important work Brown was doing at the paper, with many professional organizations celebrating the work that came out of the newsroom during his time as editor. The stories being told helped keep readers informed on topics and interested in stories, regardless of some of the drier subject matters that are typical of local news.
"We were, in my opinion, the best newspaper of our size in the whole state during his time there," Bauder said. "it was one that consistently won awards and we were recognized across the state as a damn good sheet. People don't realize what we had here, it was a privilege to work with the very talented people there."
Often serving as the first line of defense for his writers, Brown's leadership helped a generation of young journalists hone the skills needed for local journalism and gain the ability to serve communities around Beaver County.
"For many years, Greg Brown was a mentor for young journalists at The Times and throughout the region," said Patrick O'Shea, who currently serves as the editor of the Times. "He was always there to give you the real story on local figures, sometimes in language not suitable for a family newspaper. And he also always knew how to lighten the mood when things got tense."
Even for writers working outside of Brown's immediate circle, he left a lasting impression. Another long-time Times reporter who recently retired, Mike Bires, remembers the respect that Brown gained from his colleagues through his work.
“As a sports reporter, I didn’t necessarily have a lot of interaction with Greg in the newsroom, but it was very obvious he did his job well and that he had a keen nose for the news," Bires said. "Everybody respected him as a journalist. He was simply a great newspaperman."
While the editor was a tough news reporter, he was also passionate about music and was always ready to start friendly conversations with colleagues. During one Saturday morning job interview in 1993, Times entertainment reporter Scott Tady remembers the approachable personality of Brown and the fun atmosphere of a usually intimidating scenario of a job interview.
"He showed up in a 'Ren & Stimpy Show' T-shirt and we casually sat in the newsroom library and had an expansive conversation," Tady said. "I immediately admired his passion for journalism and pop culture, and would draw from his enthusiasm, vast knowledge and calm, encouraging leadership for years to come when he was our city editor."
Bickert shared similar stories about the openness of his fellow editor, noting the newsman's ability to shake the demanding editor persona at times to make people feel welcome at the newsroom.
"He was just a fun guy to be around," Bickert said. "There was one summer where one of the guys put together a softball team and we played some games. Greg's idea of fun was always hilarious, because he's a pretty good ballplayer. He would say 'let's go out and shag some flies, hit some balls and go drink beer.' He's just one of those people that you really like being around."
Other former Times colleagues, such as Karen Ferrick-Roman, also remember the charm of the editor and his various passions ranging from outdoors to music to beer. Always moving faster than people expected and ever curious, his impact was lasting on a wide variety of reporters and community members.
"The most curious thing about Greg was how he was so laid back and so passionate at the same time," Ferrick-Roman said. "He somehow found time for everything that mattered the most. While the rest of us were running around like chickens, he was the proverbial duck: calm on the surface and paddling like crazy under the water."
"He taught me an immeasurable number of things," Tady said. "As a reporter, you always knew he had your back. And his lightning-quick humor ― always impeccably timed ― made the newsroom a fun place to work. Everyone in the newsroom cherished and respected him."
Outside of the newsroom, Brown was an active member of the community and served as leadership for several organizations within the region. Throughout his time in Beaver County, he had served as a group organizer and volunteer for Beaver County's Habitat for Humanity and was a large force in the fundraising efforts at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School in Hopewell Township.
"There was a time in the early 2000s when there were only eight students in the eighth-grade class, so Greg and a committed core of parents rallied other school parents and concerned parishioners to save the school through large and ongoing fundraising efforts," Pat Brown said.
At the Aliquippa Elks Club, Greg Brown was a common visitor with his favorite whiskey order being two shots of Jim Beam and a glass of Bushmills. In addition to his hearty laugh echoing around the halls with his friends, the natural leader had also recently been elected the lodge's exalted leader for the second time.
"He just became exalted ruler this year," Bauder said. "He was looking to do a lot of positive change down there. And, you know, he's a big loss for the lodge."
Brown was deeply passionate about his hobbies, including chess, photography, music, kayaking, bird-watching and maintaining the Penn State Master Gardner certified pollinator-friendly garden at his home. He would share tips about his hobbies with others, as well as keep up with friends about what was next.
"Spying on backyard birds, he’d share tips like: brown and crush eggshells for your feeders to help nesting momma cardinals keep up their calcium," Ferrick-Roman said. "He loved the great outdoors, music and beer of all kinds. I had to ask if he was growing his beard because he was a mountain man or Santa. Well, he was heading to Santa School this fall."
As family members and friends continue to remember the local journalism legend, it will be hard to forget the impact Brown had on so many lives around the county.
"Greg loved his community and strived to make Beaver County better in any way he could," O'Shea said. "In his later years, Greg was a regular contributor to the Times' opinion page, offering his insight on what leaders were doing right and wrong locally and beyond. His voice and his humor will be sorely missed in the county."
This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Times staff celebrate memory of Greg Brown
