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Bishop Arthur Brown served two episcopal areas

Bishop Arthur Brown, a retired suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Toronto, died May 2 in Toronto at the age of 85.

Bishop Brown received his theological training at Huron College in London, Ont., and was ordained deacon in 1949 and priest in 1950. He served in the Diocese of Huron as Rural Dean of Essex from 1958 to 1963. He came to the Diocese of Toronto in 1963 and served as the incumbent of St. Michael and All Angels, Toronto, until 1981. He also served as the Archdeacon of York from 1974 to 1981.

He was elected bishop in 1980 and consecrated in 1981 along with the Rev. Basil Tonks and the Rev. Canon Desmond Hunt. Together with Archbishop Lewis Garnsworthy and Bishop Allan Read, they formed the first College of Bishops in the diocese. Bishop Brown became the area bishop of York-Simcoe, one of five newly formed episcopal areas in the diocese (later reduced to four). He was area bishop of York-Simcoe for five years, then spent the next seven years as the area bishop of York-Scarborough until his retirement in 1993 at the age of 67.

Bishop Brown was a former chancellor of Renison University College in Waterloo and also received a Doctor of Divinity degree from Trinity College, Toronto. In addition to his many activities in the church and the wider community, he wrote a column for the Toronto Sun for 12 years.

He was predeceased by his wife, Norma, in 2005, and a daughter, Karen, and is survived by three children.

Visitation will be held on May 4, from 2 – 4 p.m. and 7 – 9 p.m. at St. Michael and All Angels, 611 St. Clair Ave. W., Toronto. The funeral will be held on May 5, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Michael and All Angels.