Brown, Harvey V.

Harvey Vincent Brown, age 81, was born in Waterbury, CT to Edith Wade Stout and Vincent Brown on November 27, 1941. He had an older sister, EdaBeth, born in January of that same year, who passed at age 48, to whom he was particularly close, and missed each and every day of his life. There were an additional 8 siblings that followed: Veronica Listro, who passed in 2022, survived by spouse Tom Mconagle; Phillip “Sarge” Brown, who passed in 2000; Donald Brown, who passed in 2022 leaving his wife Kathy; Kevin and Linda Brown of Stratford, CT, David and Carmen Brown of Hebron, CT; Julie and Joe Tortorici in Florida; Vinnie Brown in Bradenton, Florida; and Roger Brown and Samir Hanna of Bradenton Florida, and numerous nieces, nephews, his god daughter Taylor Brown, and Benjamin Suchopar. Harvey was an eternal big brother, and babysitter, and favorite uncle, and discovered a new joy as grandpa to Zachary and Danielle Fenton, and Xavier SeaCatDaniels. Harvey was a skilled tradesman, a toolmaker, and worked at Teleflex Manufacturing in Waterbury. He served in Guantanamo Bay Cuba during the Bay of Pigs, was 4 years in the USMC. He attended some college, but was always a student of cultures and people, eager to learn and experience, in his multiple travels, a new way of being in the world, and seeing things on the planet Earth, and loved breaking down the barriers between all of us Earthlings. His kind and loving heart was an open door to giving when unasked, and loving as a way of healing those who were hurting the most. He is survived by his spouse of 47 years, Carl W. Shields of West Hartford, with whom he shared world wide travels, memories, giving to others and bringing joy, and laughter through honesty to a room. Harvey only ever chose to live openly and lovingly, often through very hateful or contentious times, and came to be an advocate for LGBTQI rights throughout the 80s, 90s, was active in Love Makes a Family to make same sex marriage a reality in CT, proud of his involvement in the lives of young men and women learning to be proud of who they are and are becoming, to live without fear, with pride and safety. Carl was always his priority, along with the well being of those in need. Their shared background of no money they viewed as an enormous benefit, contributing to the satisfaction they both felt in being together and having the basics. It's all it took, they always said. And love.

Harvey's funeral service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 12, 2023 at Duksa Family Funeral Homes at Newington Memorial, 20 Bonair Ave. Newington, where military honors will be rendered. Relatives and friends are invited to call from 9:30 -11:30 a.m. at the funeral home. Donations may be made to True Colors, by visiting www.qplusct.org/ groups and clicking on the donate button; or giving a random act of kindness of self to someone in need. Harvey would have loved that. To share a memory with his family, please visit www.duksa.net.