Obituary of LT. Brown

LT. Thomas R. Brown, 73, of Watertown, retired officer-in-charge of vice and intelligence of the Waterbury Police Department died Thursday November 29, at Waterbury Hospital. He was the husband of Rosemary (Kovacs) Brown. LT. Brown was born November 12, 1934 in Waterbury, the son of Germaine (Milot) Brown and the late Thomas Nicholas Brown. He attended Leavenworth High School in Waterbury and was a U.S. Navy veteran, serving aboard the destroyer John R. Pierce from 1952 1956. His law enforcement career began in Dec. 1957 when he was appointed a supernumerary. In Dec. 1959 he was sworn in as a Waterbury police officer; in 1969, he was assigned to the vice and intelligence division; in July 1977, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant. In Sept. 1980, he was assigned to the criminal investigation bureau. In Oct. 1980, he was assigned to the state-wide narcotics task force; in Nov. 1981, he was re-assigned to the vice and intelligence division. In May 1982, he was assigned as the officer-in-charge of vice and intelligence. In Nov. 1984, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and remained as the officer-in-charge of vice and intelligence until his retirement Dec. 9, 2004. In honor of his retirement, he received a flag which flew over the White House. He was the highest decorated police officer in the State of Connecticut; was nominated as a top-10 police officer in the United States by Parade Magazine. He also ran the central division of the State-wide Narcotics Task Force. He was awarded a presidential citation by former President Richard M. Nixon; he was awarded by the Daughters of the American Revolution for his heroics in saving many lives during a structure fire. He was a member of the New England Association of Chiefs of Police where he was presented a citation for meritorious service above and beyond the call of duty. He was prominent in real estate development and had rehabilitated many buildings in the Waterbury area for housing for underprivileged citizens. He was the owner of Central Painting. He was a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Lodge 265 of Waterbury; the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Msgr. Slocum Division of Waterbury; and was a member of the American Legion, Oakville Post #195. His children remember him giving their toys and old coats to underprivileged children, wishing to remain anonymous. He would give the shirt off of his back for someone in need. Besides his wife of 49 years and his mother of Waterbury, he leaves his son Richard J. Brown and his wife Terri of Waterbury, his daughter Deborah Bugryn and her husband Frank of Watertown, his sisters, Joan Carnemolla of Watertown, Ann Frenette of Oakville, Shirley Bouchard of North Carolina and Carol Wilkinson of Waterbury, his grandchildren, Lindsay, Matthew, Taylor and Kayleigh Bugryn and Matthew and Ryan Brown. He also leaves many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends and loved his family very much. He was predeceased by his brothers, Raymond and Robert Brown. Funeral services with full departmental honors for Lt. Brown will be held Tuesday at 9 a.m. from the Mulville Funeral Home 270 West Main St. to Our Lady of Loreto Church 12 Ardsley Road for a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. Burial with military honors will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Watertown. Friends may call at the funeral home Monday from 4 to 8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the LT. Thomas R. Brown Memorial Scholarship Fund in care of Sovereign Bank 81 West Main St. Waterbury, CT. 06702 ATTN Nancy Ritucci. This scholarship is for a high school senior pursuing a career in law enforcement.