PLEASE NOTE - The memorial celebration of life at the Concord Museum has been postponed until this spring. The much-loved Richard Noble Brown, of Concord, passed away in the early morning of February 12, 2020, with the dignity and calm that characterized his life. He was a man of enormous intelligence and curiosity, with a passion for learning and an eagerness to share his wonder and delight in nature, history, and music. Fondly called Mr. Science by friends, he could have just as easily been dubbed Mr. History or Mr. Nature or Piano Man. Ever resourceful and never one to succumb, he dealt with the restrictions of his illness by concocting low-salt versions of his favorite foods and augmenting his strength with engineered devices. He was the quintessential scientist. Born October 28, 1943, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, to Howard and Mildred Brown, he received his BS in mechanical engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and his MS and Professional Engineer degrees from MIT. An expert in sonar acoustics, he spent the bulk of his career with Bolt, Beranek and Newman as a consultant to the US Navy on projects related to the quieting of submarines. He retired as a principal engineer in 2012, happily devoting time to playing the piano, fixing whatever needed fixing, and simply enjoying family, friends, and the natural surroundings of his home in Concord, Massachusetts, where he moved from Lexington in 2015. He was a man of great character, known for his gentleness, integrity, humility, and wisdom. He fiercely loved (and was fiercely loved by) his family—his wife of 40 years, Shelley Brown (née Sternbach); his daughters, Lauren and Jenny; his sons-in-law, Rob Kolar and Ken McCarthy; and his 16-month-old granddaughter, Lily. He was a wonderful father, quiet and caring, who would do anything for his daughters and, after they married, his sons-in-law. Likewise, he could not have been a better husband, showing his love for his wife in every which way and always there to support her. He cherished his younger sister, Susan Holtham (née Brown), and was grateful for her help and support through his illness. He was blessed by his friendships and a rich life filled with good times, laughter, and meaning. Family and friends are invited to gather for a procession forming at the Dee Funeral Home, 27 Bedford Street, Concord Center, on Sunday, March 15th at 1:45 pm, followed by a graveside service at 2 pm at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord. A memorial celebration of life will take place this spring in the Concord Museum, 53 Cambridge Turnpike, Concord. Gifts in his memory can be made to Native American Heritage Association (naha-inc.org); Trustees of Reservations (thetrustees.org); or the Heart Failure And Cardiac Transplant Program at MGH (giving.massgeneral.org). Arrangements are under the care of Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord.