Craig Brown

Craig Brown, 72, of Waterford passed away on August 20, 2024 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.

Craig was born on September 9, 1951 in Springfield, MA to Robert and Marilyn (White) Brown. He was raised, along with his sister Carol, in Granby, CT. After graduating high school, he attended Wentworth college in Boston. In his career, Craig worked as a restoration carpenter, photographer, book collector, snowplow operator, chimney sweep, heating stove installer and draftsperson. For some time, he and his wife ran an antique bookshop called “Ben’s Old Books”. Carpentry was his passion, and he worked in this career for many years. 

Craig was also a passionate historian and archeologist. He studied the Revolutionary and Civil Wars and enjoyed reading diaries written in the late 1800s by Europeans coming to America to see what it was all about. He was also a long-time member of the Waterford Historical Society. In that work, he researched old deeds, guided history hikes, and conducted archeology digs at several house and barn foundations. He also worked with the NH archeological society on a notable dig in Marlborough, NH.

Craig was known as an avid outdoorsman and could often be found hiking, camping, or snowshoeing. Most notably, he hiked The Long Trail from MA to Canada as a high schooler. Most recently, he lived at the home of his close friend, Pauline Morgan, on Hale Road in Waterford where he cared for the chickens, turkeys, barn, and flower gardens. 

Craig married Patricia LaPree in 1983. Together they raised two children, Margaret and Benjamin until they went their separate ways. Craig loved being a father and enjoyed taking his children on hikes in the mountains of New Hampshire, Vermont and New York, Craig was an eternally curious person. He taught his children that there was always something new to learn about the world. He was always learning more either by reading about the world or by being in it and sometimes digging into it to find things out. He was an explorer in life and in book pages.

Since 2017, Craig found new love with Donna Rae Heath of Waterford, exploring old foundations and learning the history of the past occupants. They could be found in the woods digging for artifacts. As someone once said when coming upon them, “You look like two kids in a sandbox!”

Craig is survived by his two children, Benjamin Brown of Dover, NH and Margaret (Andrew) Byrne of Sharon, MA; sister Carol (David) Horton; landlady and close friend Pauline Morgan; his partner Donna Rae Heath; as well as many friends in the Snowshoe Group and Waterford Historical Society. He was predeceased by his parents. 

A memorial service to celebrate Craig’s life will be held at 1pm on Saturday, 8/31 on the side lawn of Sayles Funeral Home, 525 Summer Street, St. Johnsbury, VT. Light refreshments will follow.