KEY LARGO -- Former Free Press reporter Harlen Brown, a gentleman journalist with a passion for human interest stories, died March 3 of kidney failure. He was 76.

Brown and wife Lillian, former residents of Key Largo's Tarpon Basin neighborhood, moved to Lake Wales in 2003 to be closer to their children and grandchildren.

Brown was remembered by colleagues and newsmakers as an "old-school" reporter. He had an easy touch and took pride in telling stories filled with human drama and emotion.

A former editor of the South Dade News Leader, where Brown once worked, used to say that Brown's human interest stories should be printed on tissue paper since they often left readers teary-eyed.

"He was a great guy and his articles were as fair as a journalist could be," said Monroe County Sheriff's Key Largo Capt. Lou Caputo. "He was well-respected and had a long history of reporting on local issues. He had a background on almost every issue and could carry on a conversation on any level. He was a good, old-fashioned reporter."

Former County Commissioner Keith Douglas said Brown was a true professional.

"He knew how to get to the root of a story. He did his homework," he said. "He was one of those people who made you glad to be in his company. Harlen was a warm human being and was always a gentleman."

Born in Cleveland on Sept. 1, 1933, Brown grew up in a Chicago suburb. Upon graduation from high school, he joined the U.S. Navy and served as a radio operator aboard the U.S.S. Sicily aircraft carrier during the Korean War. He was proud of his service and wore a Navy insignia tattoo on his left forearm.

In 1962 Brown moved to South Florida and worked as a radio newscaster at WQDI in Homestead for many years. He married Lillian Wayland in 1991 and moved to Key Largo the following year, though he continued to work in Homestead as a reporter for the News Leader.

In 1996 Brown joined the Free Press as a sports writer before leaving for a year to travel the country with Lillian. He returned to the Free Press in 1998 to cover the paper's Key Largo beat at a time when the area was in the throes of an incorporation effort that ultimately failed at the polls.

Brown later joined the online Village Sun newspaper and split his time with Dave Whitney's Upper Keys Independent newspaper. When the Sun folded, Brown stayed with the Independent for a year.

Whitney, who once dubbed Brown the "dean of Upper Keys journalists," knew the newsman during his radio days in South Dade.

"Harlen was one of those guys who knew everyone and the pre-[Hurricane] Andrew history of South Florida," Whitney said. "He'd tell a tale about the Glades and most were true. Harlen had a broadcast background and was good on brevity."

Brown also worked as a public relations officer for the Key Largo Volunteer Fire Rescue Department.

"Harlen made us look good," said long-time office manager Linda Newman. "He had a red-light permit and often got to the scene first. Everyone had a great deal of respect for him.

"He organized the 9/11 memorial in Tavernier and when he was ready to take the photograph the firefighters dragged him into the photo, saying he was on the front lines with them. In their minds he was a firefighter."

Dave Gow, the longest-standing Key Largo volunteer firefighter in whose honor the fire house at mile marker 106 is named, credits Brown with starting the movement to replace the old station.

"Harlen thought it was terrible that we operated out of the old shack," Gow said. "I was honored that he wanted my name on [the new station]. I truly appreciate the fact that I knew such an honest, up-front guy. He had no agendas other than to help the community and his friends."

Brown enjoyed most of his last seven years with his wife and family in Lake Wales, but his final months were difficult, said Lillian.

"It was a rough last eight months," she said. "He was suffering from dementia and was going down fast. [On March 16] we would have been married for 19 years."

The couple brought together two large families from prior marriages. Brown leaves behind 10 children, 23 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.

Funeral services were held in Lake Wales on March 4.

sgibbs@keysnews.com