Rodney “Rod” Spaulding Brown, 82, passed away on Sept. 8, 2025, in Wrangell, his home of 56 years.
Rod was born in Chicago to William Charles Brown and Katharine Spaulding Brown on Jan. 6, 1943. He graduated in 1961 from Edina Morningside High School where he excelled in academics, cross country and track.
He earned a degree in biology from Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa, where he was captain of the cross-country team and won the Midwest Conference Championship in 1963. He taught English in Thessaloniki, Greece, and then earned his teaching certificate from the University of Alaska Fairbanks in 1969.
Rod’s 27-year career at Wrangell High School began in 1969 where he taught biology, marine biology and photography, among other subjects. He was recognized in 1979 with an Outstanding Biology Teacher Award by the National Association of Biology Teachers, and in 1982 was selected for an International Teaching Fellowship and taught outdoor skills and biology in Healesville, Australia.
In 1987, he was honored as a Distinguished Teacher by the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars.
Rod also founded the Rat Fanciers Club (aka Mr. Brown’s detention). He retired from Wrangell Public Schools in 1996.
He served two gubernatorial appointments to the U.S.-Canada Pacific Salmon Commission Transboundary Panel, initially appointed in 2005 and renewed in 2008.
More than any award or recognition, Rod cherished the relationships he built with students, teachers, staff, friends and community members during his many years in Wrangell and at the high school.
Rod lived in Wrangell from 1969 through 2025 and enjoyed many hobbies including gardening, hunting, fishing, reading, collecting aquatic critters from muskeg ponds, and assembling a hobby shop-worthy collection of model building supplies, though completed planes and boats rarely emerged from his workshop.
Rod was preceded in death by his parents, Bill and Katharine, brother Miles, and niece Meggann.
He is survived by his wife Jean; son Miles (Waka) and grandsons Leo, Tai and Kogen, of West Linn, Oregon; son Jeff (Jen) of Portland, Oregon; brother Jeff (Martha) of Maple Plain, Minnesota; three nephews and one niece.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Irene Ingle Public Library in recognition of Rod’s lifelong love of reading. The address is Friends of the Irene Ingle Public Library, PO Box 679, Wrangell, AK 99929.
No memorial service is planned at this time, but the family welcomes notes or remembrances sent to rodandjeanbrown@gmail.com.
