If you knew “Coach” Brown – you’re invited to his service on Friday. His family shared this tribute:

Grant D. Brown, 68, lifelong resident of West Seattle and tireless volunteer for the youth in our community, passed away June 14, 2011, after a long struggle with cancer.

Grant was the first child of Don and Margaret (Crosby) Brown. He grew up with his siblings Alan and Donna on the hill overlooking Alki, attending Alki Elementary, James Madison Junior High and West Seattle High School, graduating in 1960. He served in the National Guard in the mid-1960s, stationed out of Camp Murray.

It was early in his schooling that he discovered a penchant for technical drawing, which served him well as, at age 18, he went to work for Boeing as a drafter. He worked in commercial, military and aerospace, including the Dash-80, 727 and 737, SST, Minuteman, ALCM, Wind Turbines, B-2 and finally the F-22. He retired from Boeing after 48 years of dedicated service. Boeing was also where he met his wife Cathy, to whom he was married for 40 years.

The most memorable and greatest passion of Grant’s life, however, was his commitment to youth sports, volunteering as a coach, manager and mentor for more than 40 years.

He was easily recognized wearing his coach’s jacket and ball cap anywhere he went, by players, parents and fellow coaches.

After years of “practice” with the neighborhood kids, “Coach Grant” or “Coach Brown” started volunteering with multiple sports leagues in the early ‘60s, among them: men’s fast-pitch, girls’ and young-adults’ slow-pitch softball; women’s AAU, youth CYO and Parks Department basketball; West Seattle Little League and West Seattle Pee Wee baseball; and Red Shield (later Southwest Athletic Club) football.

When it came to youth sports, he believed firmly in safety first, teaching the most basic fundamentals before ever putting a bat, ball or even a mitt in hand. He was the last person to leave the field every night, seeing that every player was safely picked up or driving them home himself in the brown van that was unmistakable throughout the area. And once home himself, he was on the phone until late at night with parents and coaches making sure everyone was ready for the next practice or game.

He also believed every child who wanted to play should have the chance. When children were cut from other teams or other franchises were overcrowded, he stepped in and found the coaches, sponsors and sometimes even more players to support those full rosters. When the girls in the area had to go to outlying communities to play softball, he created West Seattle Girls Softball, which is still thriving today. And when the youngest and least experienced football players weren’t seeing game time, he instated half-time ball, so for 15 minutes, those kids could have their time on the field, too.

When he wasn’t on the field, he was still tirelessly supporting and promoting youth programs as a member of multiple boards and an officer in various organizations. His fundraising activities included the Holy Rosary Christmas tree lot, fireworks sales for girls’ softball, and a golf tournament as well as several other fundraising programs for youth football.

For the last decade, his volunteerism extended to another lifelong passion. Like many local youth, he grew up loving the thunderboats on Lake Washington, so when his eldest son became involved with the Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum in South Park, he gladly volunteered as well. Whether putting up drywall in the museum or volunteering on the crew of the Miss Burien, he enjoyed every minute he could devote to his childhood dream.

All four of his own children benefited from his giving spirit in various programs over the years, and it was gratifying to coach alongside his youngest son for the last few years of his career. Somehow in the midst of it all, he still found time to support their other endeavors, whether watching them play high school ball or attending their ballet recitals, school plays or choir concerts. As a caring grandfather, he traveled with Cathy across the country to spend time with their two youngest grandchildren in Florida and even across the world to celebrate their eldest grandson’s first birthday in Japan. There was never any denial that he was a deeply loving man, devoted to his family and to the community he called home.

Grant was preceded in death by his father, Don. He is survived by wife Cathy; mother Margaret; brother Alan; sister Donna (John) Popich; children Doug, Teresa (Joey) Stanker, Cathleen (Shayne) Dunsmore and Phil; and grandchildren Stevin Peters, and Dillon and Bailey Budde. He is also survived by the thousands of young men and women, sometimes spanning generations, whose lives he touched through sports.

Services will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, June 24, 2011, at Tibbetts United Methodist Church, 3940 41st Ave SW, West Seattle. Reception to follow. The family welcomes anyone who knew “Coach” to attend. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum, 5917 S 196th St, Kent WA, 98032.

(WSB publishes obituaries by request, free of charge. E-mail the text, and a photo if available/desired, to editor@westseattleblog.com)