Obituary

A devoted husband, father, and grandfather, Leslie “Les” Brown passed away March 15, 2025 after succumbing to Parkinson’s disease.

Les was born May 29, 1944 in Sonora, CA and grew up in nearby Angels Camp – a historic California Gold Rush town and setting for Mark Twain’s short story “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.” Les won numerous regional debate competitions while attending Bret Harte High School and served as editor of the school’s newspaper and as class president.  He attended Stanford University on merit scholarships, earning a BA in History, and was later awarded an MBA from the Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University. Les was deeply devoted to his work, with a career spanning five decades that included executive roles in the building and real estate development trades. He made significant contributions to the development of housing, industrial parks, and transportation facilities throughout Greater Los Angeles.

Les was an active member of St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in San Juan Capistrano where he served as a lay minister. He loved traveling with his wife, Lola, and was an avid history reader with a life-long passion for animals. He enjoyed training and riding his horse Turbo Diesel as well as hunting with his brother-in-law in North Dakota and Montana.

Les is survived by his wife Lola; his son Les III with his wife Jill and their daughter Mia; his daughter Charlotte with her son Brandon; stepson John Coxford and wife Michelle with their children Sean and Owen; and stepdaughter Janelle Laughlin and husband Steve with their children Jackson, Anderson, and Emerson. He is predeceased by his mother Genevieve and father Les, Sr. along with his previous wife Kathryn.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Donna Clervi Foundation, which is devoted to improving the quality of life for people with Parkinson’s.