By Nicole Hamilton
The Cincinnati Enquirer

DELHI TOWNSHIP - Jim Brown's sense of adventure kept him forever young at heart.

He bought the property next to his Delhi Township home hoping to make it a runway long enough for his plane. When he discovered the length of the field was too short, he settled on making it a place to launch his helicopter.

Jim Brown died Thursday at Mercy-Franciscan Hospital Western Hills Hospice of prostate cancer.

The longtime Delhi Township resident was 76.

"His extensive world travels attest to his love for life and learning," said his wife of 22 years, Deborah Locke of Delhi Township, who shared his special affinity for Paris - a city they visited more than a dozen times.

"His Bell Jet Ranger was a familiar sight in the Cincinnati skyline," his wife said, "and his passion for nature led him to enjoy not only the sky, but sailing in the Caribbean, boating at Lake Cumberland and camping in various locales."

Raised on the west side, Mr. Brown graduated from Elder High School in 1946 and went on to study engineering at the University of Cincinnati for one year.

In 1952, he established his own home-building business.

"He literally built his first houses by hand," his wife said.

Mr. Brown designed and built more than 100 homes in Delhi Township for his business, eventually named Hilltop Rental Co.

He also built and managed more than 500 apartment units throughout the city, including Summit View in Price Hill and Woodbrooke Apartments in Delhi Township.

"He was one of the first designers in the city to make the view a priority - it was very important to him, and he would design his houses and apartments so that you were able to look out and see the city," his wife said.

"Many of his visions for neighborhoods became reality, and his ideals of quality and modern designs permeated his work."

Mr. Brown, who retired in November 2003was a member of the Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati and the Cincinnati Apartment Association.

He earned his pilot's license at age 16, even before he received his driver's license. As an adult, he was a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.

He was particularly fond of his Great Pyrenees dog, Molly, his family said.

Along with his wife, other survivors include five daughters, Deborah Benkovitz of Pittsburgh, Kathy Morgan of San Francisco, Maribeth Samoya of Delhi Township, Colleen Lawrence of Green Township and Karen Maines of Vernon, Conn.; four sons, Don and Scott, both of Green Township, and Jim Jr. and Gary, both of Delhi Township; a brother, Bill Braun of Delhi Township; four sisters, Ruth Kern of Harrison, Rosemary Karas of Delhi Township, Sister of Charity Rose Virginia Brown of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Sister of Charity Elizabeth Brown of Delhi Township; his first wife, Gerry Brown of Delhi Township; 18 grandchildren, five step-grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

A memorial will be from 1-4 p.m. Monday with a special service beginning at 2 p.m. at his residence, 171 Pedretti Road, Delhi Township.

The body was cremated.

Memorials can be made to the Barrett Center for Cancer Prevention and Research, 212 Goodman Ave., Cincinnati, 45219-2364.

E-mail nhamilton@enquirer.com