Robert J. Brown, 70

FRANKLIN — Robert J. Brown, 70, a longtime Franklin resident, died at Hospice House in Concord on Nov. 14, 2018.

He was born in Franklin on Nov. 20, 1947, the son of Ernest and Frances (Cushing) Brown. Bob attended local schools, graduating from Franklin High School in 1965 and attending N.H. Technical College.

Bob entered the U.S. Navy in 1968 and completed basic training at Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Illinois where he was designated the Honor Man of his company. He served in Guam for 18 months and also was stationed at Pearl Harbor. He trained in scuba diving, including hard-hat diving, and qualified for depths of 300 feet as a 1st Class Diver. He received several awards and two Navy Commendations.

Following his naval service, Bob worked for a few local contractors, including Bud Stevens and Clairmont Construction, before starting out on his own as a well-known self-employed contractor, Brown Construction, for 39 years until his death.

He was an active member of Franklin Fire Department with Engine Co. 1, beginning in 1978, and was appointed captain in 2012. He had the nickname “Nozzleman” as he almost always was the lead firefighter on the first-in nozzle for decades. Bob performed 36 years of dedicated service to his local community through the fire department by doing whatever was needed and was the driving force in the creation of the FFD Honor Guard of which he served proudly at many local parades and events, including displaying colors during the National Anthem at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Fenway Park. He will be greatly missed.

Family members include his daughters, Heather Brown of Concord and Kimberly Brown of Essex Junction, Vermont; a sister, Kathleen Dorigo of Franklin; friends and cousins.

Visiting hours will be from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 18, at Thibault-Neun Funeral Home, 143 Franklin St., Franklin. A service will be held at the New Hampshire Veterans' Cemetery Chapel, 110 Daniel Webster Highway, Boscawen, on Monday, Nov. 19, at 11:30 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Bob may be made to Franklin Fire Department Honor Guard Fund, 59 West Bow St., Franklin, NH 03235.

For directions and an online guestbook, please visit www.neunfuneralhomes.com.