Edward Keyes Browne Jr. Obituary (1919 - 2020)

Dennysville – Edward Keyes Brown Jr., 101, passed away Tuesday, December 22, 2020 at the Maine Veterans Home in Machias. Edward was born in New York, NY on June 25, 1919, son of Edward Browne Sr. and Harriet (Quinn) Brown. He was drafted into the Army in 1942 and was assigned to the 8th Air Force, 452 Group, where he was a gunner on a B-17. In May 1944, his aircraft was shot down over Frankfort where he and nine members of his crew were imprisoned for 10 months. Browne earned the Air Medal, European Campaign Medal and was offered a Purple Heart, which he humbly declined maintaining that it just didn't seem necessary. In 2012, Ed was awarded the Maine Silver Star for his service. After Ed was discharged in 1945, he moved to Alaska and married local school teacher, Ruby Green. They raised two children together, Kathleen and Samuel. Ruby passed away and eventually Ed met Margaret Nugent. They were married and moved to Ketchikan, Alaska, where he worked for the Bureau of Land Management, mapping soils. Ed worked in the lumber industry as a timber grader and scaler for more than 30 years. Nor'west Logging Company awarded him the High Climber achievement award in 1952. The couple moved to Maine in 1989 and settled in Dennysville. They became involved in the Congregational Church where Ed served as a trustee and greeter. He also served on the Dennysville Historical Society and as a Boy Scout leader. He was widowed for a second time when Margaret passed away in 2003. Burial will take place with military honors at Acadia National Cemetery at a later date. Arrangements by Mays Funeral Home, Calais & Eastport.