Edna Brown

1913 - 2001

To understand Edna Brown, you have to go back, all the way to 1837. Her grandfather, Charles Augustus Clarke, was born in Salisbury, England, before his family made the journey to Aotearoa in the late 1860s. After travelling across the country, he eventually settled in Tauranga in 1872, where he became deeply involved in the local community. He went on to own a local aerated water business and later served Tauranga as a councillor, before being elected Mayor in 1893, a role he held for five years. That sense of contribution and connection to community would become a defining thread through the Clarke family for generations to come.

Edna’s father, also Charles, grew up in Tauranga before moving to Rotorua, where he became a well-known and active member of the community. He was heavily involved in sport, captaining representative rugby teams and contributing to a wide range of local clubs including athletics, swimming, bowling, and more. He was also part of the original Rotorua Brass Band and later served on its committee. Alongside this, he dedicated more than 37 years to primary education.

The Clarke family also became well known for their involvement in the aerated water industry, establishing and growing a family business that would become C.A. Clarke & Son Ltd in Rotorua. What began in a simple shed gradually expanded into a significant local enterprise, one that many in the community would have known well.

Edna was born on 26 July 1913 in Rotorua, the youngest of ten children — five boys and five girls. She spent much of her early life surrounded by a large, close-knit family, with strong ties to both Rotorua and Tauranga. The Clarke family homes on Lake Road were full of life, with extended family living nearby and often working together through the family business. It was a childhood shaped by connection, hard work, and a strong sense of community.

Later in life, Edna married George Brown, and the two lived in Wellington. During this time, Edna worked in the hotel industry, including managing the Tin Hut Hotel in Greytown. Although they had no children, Edna had a deep love for animals, especially cats, and when they later moved to a farm near Te Puke, she famously had names for all of the animals. After George’s passing, Edna returned to the Western Bay of Plenty, living in Ōmokoroa, then Matapihi, and finally Tauranga.

Those who knew Edna often described her as determined, but also quietly generous, particularly towards people who were in need. When it came time to plan her legacy, she gave careful thought to how she could continue helping others. In her Will, she left specific gifts to family, friends, and charities, and directed that the remaining balance be distributed to organisations connected to medical research or treatment. Her trustees wanted to honour this intention in a meaningful and lasting way.

In 2003, they made the decision to place $67,200 with Acorn Foundation in Edna’s name. That decision made Edna Brown Acorn’s very first donor. What began as a single act of generosity has since grown into something much larger, helping to shape the foundation and the impact it has across the Western Bay of Plenty today.

Today, Edna’s story is known far beyond our region. Through conversations with community foundations around the world, her legacy is often shared as an example of how one person’s thoughtful decision can create lasting impact for generations to come.

It’s a reminder that behind every fund is a story, and behind every act of giving is a person who simply wanted to make a difference.