Vernon Franklin
”
Brownie
”
Brown was born May 13, 1914 in a house on 11th and Reed in San
Jose.
Vernon Franklin “Brownie” Brown was born May 13, 1914 in a house on 11th and Reed in San Jose. He died on Jan. 20, 2003.
He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Lorraine Ribisi Brown and sons, Randall Brown of Arnold and Vernon Brown of Carmel Valley. He has three grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. They are granddaughter Julie Steindorf of Davis and her children Jack and Jenna; granddaughter Kristina Dyer of San Clemente and her stepson Travis and children Heidi, Lily, Noah and George; grandson Randall Brown of Las Vegas Nev., and his sons Santino and Reno.
Vernon was a Class A PGA Club professional for 48 years. He began his golfing career as a caddie at the San Jose Country Club under Ed Duino. During the late ’40s and ’50s he became a top amateur golfer at Hillview Golf Course. He won many tournaments and became Hillview’s club champion. The 41-year-old men’s club president at Hillview took over as professional and manager of the nine-hole Gilroy Golf and Country Club in 1955. Top amateurs in Santa Clara Valley called the course gopher gulch. It was more like a country cow pasture than a golf course. He took over with gophers patrolling the fairways. He moved to a lopsided 1927 caretaker house with ivy growing in the bathroom walls. A fierce 1955 winter storm flooded the eighth green and ninth tee. With the help of lifetime friends Gilroy Dairyman Bill Blaettler, Dr. Fran Whitaker, and his sons and wife he made the course into one of the most popular and pristine 11 holes in the South Valley. With tiny manicured greens and rolling fairways surrounded by ancient oak trees it became a challenging par 70. Vernon changed the sprinklers, cut the grass, planted trees, repaired the equipment, killed gophers, put in a new sprinkler system, ran the pro shop, gave lessons to the members and entertained after tournaments with his wash tub bass. His wife Lorraine cooked the best hamburgers in Santa Clara County and kept the pro-shop running when Vern was on the course, Brownie was always available to young players, professional golfers, anyone who wanted lessons or tips to improve their games. He was generous with his time and expertise. In 1971 the Browns retired to Morgan Hill.
Vernon and Lorraine met playing softball for the Sunsweet Growers Women’s Team. He was the coach and she was the shortstop. They were married Nov. 8, 1933, at the Redwood City Courthouse. In 1939, they built a home for $3,000 on Pine Avenue in Willow Glen. During the years before moving to Gilroy he worked at many jobs to put food on the table for his family. He pounded hot metal at John Christian Manufacturing Co. and repaired damaged trucks at Security Truck Line.
His other passion was softball. After work, he spent time playing fastpitch softball with the Hollister Cowboys and Western Gravel in San Jose. He was their second baseman and number-four hitter. The Hollister Cowboys won five State Softball Championships and placed second at the 1941 World Championships in Chicago. Vern and wife Lorraine were elected to the Santa Clara County Softball Hall of Fame.
He was of the generation that had little formal education but with the help of life’s experiences was able to put his many creative talents to good use. There are many events and stories attributed to the Brown family in Vern’s book, “The Hands Have It” written by son, Randall.
Those who desire may send donations to their favorite charity in his name.
