Dr. John Brown, of the Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences and Chair of the Academic Medical Organization of Southwestern Ontario (AMOSO), died Dec. 21 at the age of 71.
Brown started at Western in 1972 and retired from full time staff in 2003, as professor emeritus, and immediately commenced a part-time appointment which was held until 2007.
Brown was instrumental in the governance of clinical appointments including the Alternative Funding Plan (AFP). He was Chair of the Academic Medical Organization of Southwestern Ontario (AMOSO) and had been the lead negotiator in the Alternate Funding Plan since 2003.
He was described as a fair and honourable leader, as attested to by his appointment by all of the Ontario deans to be their eyes and ears in AFP negotiations, and his continuing appointment as the neutral chair of AMOSO.
Brown served as Assistant Dean of Postgraduate Medical Education 1981-1987, Program Director of Neurology 1990-1998, Chair of PGE: COFM 1982-1985, Chair of PGM: COFM 1990-1996. He also served as Chair of the Royal College Examination Committee in Neurology from 1997-1999, and served as Chair of the Specialty Committee in Neurology from 1999 to 2002.
His early life was difficult. By age 10, he had spent years in hospital for polio and other problems. His mother died shortly after he came home. By the age of 15 he was self sufficient. He put himself through university and through medical school (Manitoba), working as a baker, a bartender, and a laboratory assistant. He worked most nights and weekends but graduated from medicine with no debt.
He won the Prowse Prize for his PhD (Manitoba) and studied at the National Hospital for Neurological Diseases (London) as a Medical Research Council Fellow. He was repeatedly recognized as a leader.
He was also a gifted athlete. Despite a weakened leg from polio he was recruited for the Bruins farm team, an offer rejected to go into medicine. He won national championships in TaeKwonDo and could play squash and tennis with either hand.
He is survived by his son Adalsteinn; daughter-in-law Erica, and grandchildren Njála and Brandur.
Donations may be made to the John D. Brown Memorial Fund at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario.