On January 6, 2026, William Bergen Brown, 89, passed peacefully into the next life surrounded by family. He was preceded in death by his parents, Bergen T. Brown, Sr. and Margaret Akehurst Gill; siblings Douglas Brown, Bergen “Toby” Brown, and Barbara Steedman; daughter Kindra Brown; and grandchildren Bergen Fernwalt and Brittany Michaels.

Bill is survived by daughters Lizbeth Brown; Bonnie Scott and her husband Randy; and Jennifer Brown; grandchildren Alexander Dickerson; Zachary Dickerson and his wife Emily; Tyler Brown; Cassie Gordy and her husband Chase; great-grandchildren Sophia Fernwalt, Devin Rasin, Jr., D’lainey Rasin, Austin Guerrieri, Tripp Griner, and Charlie Gordy; sisters-in-law Bobbie and Patricia; as well as nieces, nephews, and loved ones too numerous to mention.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland on August 31, 1936, Bill moved to the Eastern Shore of Maryland as a child and attended Chestertown schools. He served in the U.S. Army in Germany for three years before returning to his beloved Delmarva Peninsula, marrying Aletta LaDonna Treichler, and settling in Rock Hall with their young family.

He fondly recalled working on local farms, for a furniture store, as a milkman, and as a carpenter, before spending nearly 30 years as a firefighter at BWI Airport. After “retiring,” he worked as a waterman and drove for local companies. Bill was active for much of his life at the Rock Hall American Legion and was also a member of the Elks and the VFW.

He loved fishing, spending time on the Chesapeake, and traveling, and was proud to have visited all 50 states and beyond. His shortbread and beat biscuits were legendary, his knives were always sharp, and he could drive anything with two or more wheels.

A memorial service celebrating Bill’s life will be held at 2:00 PM on January 31, 2026, in The Lewes Room at Irish Eyes, 213 Anglers Road, Lewes, Delaware.