The Peru Gazette

By John T Ryan

Doug Brown has a big birthday coming up on December 31, Birthday #105. Tomorrow, Friday, December 5, will also be a big day for Doug; he’ll be leading the Peru Tractor Parade as its Grand Marshal.  Most people know Doug as the longtime owner of Peru Hardware, a rural mail carrier, and a World War II Veteran.

Your reporter pleads guilty to not having visited Doug since I wrote a story about him two years ago. Today, I found him almost as active as before, with one notable exception, he no longer drives. He commented, “I have heart trouble, so my doctor doesn’t want me to drive anymore.”  Fortunately, Doug’s daughter, Wendy Silverman, and her husband, Bob, live nearby and are available to assist him whenever needed.

Bird carving is still Doug’s favorite pastime. A beautifully carved heron proudly displayed in his living room features a First Place ribbon hanging from its neck, a testament to his craftsmanship that earned him the award at the Clinton County Fair last summer. Before I left, he eagerly showed me the birds he was currently working on in his workshop. He pointed to one in particular, mentioning that he was redoing it because he wasn’t satisfied with how he had painted it.

When I asked Doug two years ago what the secret to his long life was, he replied, “I’m always looking, thinking ten years ahead at things I want to do. So I keep busy all the time. That’s the only thing.” Today, while he may not be looking ten years into the future, he is certainly staying busy and looking great.

Be sure to give Grand Marshal Doug Brown a big wave on Friday when his daughters, Wendy and Gail, transport him as Grand Marshal in the Peru Tractor Parade!

Click here to read the Peru Gazette’s January 24, 2013 story on Doug Brown. 

Click here to read a Peru Gazette story on Doug Brown’s military service and participation in a June 2013 North Country Honor Flight. 

12/4/25, 7:15 p.m.  Spelling of “Wendy”  and “notable” corrected.