In Memoriam

In Memoriam Austin B. Brough I T IS WITH DEEP REGRET that we announce the death of Austin B. Brough, a former Vice President and Director of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, on 30January 1997 at St. Mary Medical Center in Middletown Township, Bucks County. Born in Philadelphia, and a graduate of Frankford High School, he served as an Army staff sergeant during World War II. Having participated in the Battle of the Bulge, he was awarded three battle stars, a certificate of merit, and other com¬ mendations. Austin Brough had been an active member of GSP since he joined the Society in 1979. He served as Treasurer for one term (1985-1986), as a Director from 1986 to 1989, as Vice President (1989-1992), and then continued as a Director from 1992 until his resignation in Novem¬ ber 1996 because of ill health. In appreciation of his almost twenty years of dedicated service, he was named an Honorary Vice-President follow¬ ing his retirement, a position he held until his death. Described by one GSP officer as “irreplaceable,” Mr. Brough was committed to the success of various GSP ventures. Many years ago he purchased and donated a portable microfilm camera to the Society, making it possible to preserve more than 800 cemetery, church, and funeral directors' records for use by the membership. He not only donated the equipment and found the time to personally film some of the documents, but he was also instrumental in obtaining institutional permissions to transfer otherwise inaccessible records to microfilm. Although physically unable to help with GSP’s recent move to 1305 Locust Street, he was deeply involved in the plans for the move. In addition to his service to the GSP, Mr. Brough was a former man¬ ager of Philadelphia International Airport. Beginning his career as an airport guard in 1940, he advanced through various positions and retired in 1979 as Director of Aviation, His professional affiliations included the Aviation Council of Pennsylvania, for which he served as 31 32 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine President from 1962 to 1964, and the American Association of Airport Executives, of which he had been National and Northeast Region Presi¬ dent. A resident of Holland, Pa., since 1976, Mr. Brough was President of the Northampton Township Volunteer Fire Company from 1983 to 1989, and was also a member of Loudenslager Post 336 of the American Legion in the Fox Chase section of Philadelphia. Austin B. Brough was the son of the late Austin B. and Jennie Grace (Ashworth) Brough and brother of the late Bruce Brough. He was married for twenty-seven years to Blanche S. (Brady) Brough, who died in 1968, and for fifteen years to Emily E. (Wolever) Brough, who died in 1984. He is survived by a daughter, Elizabeth Caroline “Bunny” Brough of Trevose, Pa.