William P. Brown, 87, investment broker and volunteer

William P. Brown, 87, formerly of Strafford, an investment broker, died Thursday, March 30, of Parkinson's disease at Waverly Heights in Gladwyne, where he had lived since 2013.

Mr. Brown spent his entire career in the investment business, starting out as a runner, or clerk, and working his way up to top broker and, later, vice president and manager of Bache & Co. in Philadelphia.

In the 1970s, he opened and then managed the Philadelphia office of the Baltimore-based Alex. Brown & Sons. Although he wanted to keep working, he retired for health reasons in 2012.

Born in Spring Lake, N.J., and reared in Kansas City, Kan., Mr. Brown graduated from the Kent School in Kent, Conn., and in 1951 from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine.

He was married for 63 years to Charlotte Pennock of the florist family. The couple had three sons.

A busy volunteer, Mr. Brown served as president of the Bond Club of Philadelphia, treasurer of the Pennsylvania Industrial Home for Blind Women in the Powelton Village section of West Philadelphia, and treasurer and junior warden of St. David's Episcopal Church in Wayne.

He was perhaps best known along the Main Line as a chairman of St. David's Country Fair and Auction, a fundraiser held each fall at the church for 166 years.

He enjoyed the ocean and vacationing on the Caribbean island of St. Barthélemy.

"A humble man of few words, he never complained or raised his voice," said his son, James D. "He set an example by doing. He had boundless love for his family."

In addition to his wife and son, he is survived by sons William P. Jr. and Christopher P., and five grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 5, at St. David's Episcopal Church, 763 S. Valley Forge Rd., Wayne, Pa. 19087. Interment is private.

Contributions in his memory may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation via https://www.michaeljfox.org, or to the church at the address above.