February 08, 2017
Membership and participation in Gleaner events has been a family affair for generations, so it’s no wonder David Brown holds fond memories of past Gleaner events. Brown’s father, Gerald, appeared on the fall 1986 Forum Magazine cover throwing horseshoes at the 1986 Gleaner picnic, where his family camped in their mini motor home. Later, David and his brother Mike took second place in a horseshoe contest at a Gleaner picnic. The plaque still hangs on David's den wall.
The Brown family tradition of participation goes back further than David can remember, to his maternal grandparents, Emory and Cynthia Dorn, who were Gleaner members and made sure their daughter Beulah (Dorn) Brown was also a member. Like her son, Beulah remembered many fun times attending Gleaner events. In the fall 1986 issue of Forum Magazine, where she was recognized as a 50-year member, she shared about her youthful experiences as the Indian princess announcer in a pageant at the Gleaner Retirement Home in Alma, Michigan. Thanks to that performance, she was asked to serve as the announcer at two Gleaner conventions.
She also remembered attending Gleaner meetings with her parents. “The children had to stay in the outer room until the business meeting was over. We used to peek in the keyhole to see what they did in there. Of course, we all had a good time, and after the meeting, we could go in and join the family fun,” said Beulah, a 68-year member who passed away in 1995. Her family’s participation in Gleaner was carried on by David Brown, who along with his wife, Carolyn, have been members for three decades. The retirees of Tennessee Tech University live in Cookeville, Tennessee.
They also made sure their daughter, Rachel, was a member, which helped her secure one of Gleaner’s scholarships in 1991. With the scholarship's help, Rachel attended Michigan State University, graduating with honors in three years and three months with a bachelor of arts degree. She went directly from the classroom to a position as managing editor of The Greater Lansing Business Monthly, a company she interned with in college. Following that, she began a 15-year career in the medical field and today owns her own company, Good Day Marketing, specializing in launching new products for large medical corporations.
Rachel is married to Lt. Scott Knutton, a naval officer, and they live in Japan.
The fifth generation in David Brown’s Gleaner family tree is his granddaughter, Rose Elizabeth Knutton, who became a Gleaner member at the age of 5 weeks. “Rose, like our Rachel, is an only child. Rachel lost four before Rose was born, so we call her our miracle child,” said David Brown.
“We will always be Gleaners, as we not only feel a loyalty based on our family heritage but also because it is a good, solid company with good products,” he said.