David Graham Brown

David Brown, retired Jamaican hotelier slipped away from this earth on Friday April 1st, 2016 at home in Loxahatchee, Florida. David sold his home at Saint Mary Country Club, Ocho Rios, Jamaica and moved to Loxahatchee in November 2011 after losing the love of his life Betty, in May of 2008.

 Born in Liverpool, England, David was the eldest of two boys to James and Elsie Brown. With his younger bother Michael, David grew up in Knotty Ash, Liverpool just around the corner from the Fuddy Duddy Man. Growing up David loved soccer, music and practical jokes.

 David joined the Royal Air Force right out of High School as was customary and served as the Communications Officer, writing Morse code; this was just the beginning of his letter writing hobby. Once his service to the United Kingdom had been fulfilled, David joined FW Woolworth Company back in Liverpool. He was an avid music listener and loved the theatre. David signed up for a church dance class where he met the love of his life, Betty Cross who also worked in retail for Owens and Owens. David trained with Woolworths in Liverpool then was selected for management training in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Scotland where he became a regular at the local Officers Club and this is where David’s love of the stage began. He could always be counted on for several jokes as their stand up comedian and often would have the band play along with pre-recorded words and would lip sing the words to the audience’s amusement.

 In 1958; David was offered the position of Woolworth’s store manager, stationed in Kingston, Jamaica along with several other British chaps. He wrote to Betty every day and on his vacation two years later he returned home to ask Betty to be his wife and move to his new found home and love, the island of Jamaica. Betty packed up her world and joined him in Kingston in 1960.  They were married on February 28th 1962 in Kingston, Jamaica. The Browns honeymooned at the Tower Isle Hotel in Ocho Rios after which David accepted a position at the Caymanas Golf Club in Kingston; and his hospitality career began. A couple years later, David received a call from the Resident Manager at Tower Isle Hotel, would he consider the position of Resident Manger. Of course, on their honeymoon they had closed the bar each night and entertained the guests and staff with Daddy’s jokes. In the early 70’s the James Bond movie “Live and Let Die” was filmed right outside David’s office window on the beach. His daughters have always said that David would have made a great James Bond!

 David joined the Half Moon Resort in Rose Hall, Jamaica in 1974 and the family moved to Montego Bay in the western half of the island. The resort was set on a mile and a half of white sand beach and was rated by Conde Nast as one of the world’s top 100 hotels.

Guests and celebrities included Shirley Bassey, Olivia Newton John, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Goldie Hahn, Fidel Castro, Johnny and June Cash, Prince Andrew, many ambassadors and international dignitaries. David escorted Stevie Wonder to Reggae Sunsplash, the ultimate Reggae concert, and introduced him to Bob Marley. This introduction influenced Stevie Wonder’s work and forged a long relationship in the Reggae world. David and Betty retired to Saint Mary Country Club in Ocho Rios as they had truly made Jamaica their home. Betty loved to entertain and was always the first on the dance floor and had a ready sense of humor. They shared a love of music, travel and letter writing to friends they had met through the years. They had friends across the world, but the most important friends were always each other.

 David is now reunited with his love, Betty Cross Brown. They are survived by three beautiful daughters who made them so proud.  Julie Brown, Caroline McNeill and Natalie Thompson; wonderful sons-in law Keith and Philip, son-in-law to be Paul, Grandchildren Kevin, Lochlan, Alexandra, Kory, Erin, Katie and her husband Matt.

 May David’s love of life, music, friends and family, a good joke and an ice cold Red Stripe live on forever! They will both be forever in our hearts.

 Whisper I love you to a butterfly and it will fly to heaven to deliver your message…

We will be sending a kaleidoscope everyday!

A Memorial Service will take place at 11:30 AM on Saturday, April 9, 2016 at Tillman Funeral Home & Crematory, 2170 South Military Trail, West Palm Beach. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 10:30 AM until service time on Saturday.