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Forever In the Hearts They Leave Behind

Jerome Dean Brown


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Jerome
(Jerry) Dean Brown of Apache Junction, Arizona, passed on June 23, 2019,
after a long battle with prostate cancer.  He was born on January 16,
1940, in Fairbury, Nebraska, to Glen and Ella Haake Brown.  The family
lived on a farm near Daykin, Nebraska, and then moved
to Des Moines, Iowa, where Glen worked as a stone cutter.  The family
moved back to the farm and Jerry attended school until he graduated
from Daykin High School in 1958.  He enjoyed sports and excelled in
basketball.  For a couple of years he and his two brothers were three of
the team’s starting five lineup.

While
a senior he enlisted in the National Guard of Nebraska, serving in
the Nebraska and Iowa National Guard for a total of 11 years.
 Jerry attended junior college in Fairbury  for two years, finishing
in 1960.  He worked as a brakeman for the Rock Island Railroad for more
than a year to make money to continue college. 

In
January of 1961 he met his future wife, Mary DeVee Davis of Superior, Nebraska,
who was attending Fairbury Junior College.  They were married on
November 19, 1961.

Jerry
received his B.A. in Education from Nebraska State Teachers College in Kearney,
Nebraska, in 1968.  His first job was at Hampton Public Schools in
Nebraska as a social studies teacher and as the head football coach,
assistant basketball coach and  volleyball coach.  They lived
there three years when he made the decision to further his education.
 He earned a Master’s Degree in Speech Pathology and
Audiology from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. 

Upon
graduation he moved the family to Bettendorf, Iowa, and became an educational
audiologist for the Muscatine-Scott county schools.  He had
worked there for three years when he was recruited to work for the State of
Iowa’s Department of Education in the Division of Special Education as the
Consultant for Hearing Conservation.  During these years he initiated many
innovative programs for hearing-impaired children.  He received many
honors for his work, including being made a Fellow with the American Speech,
Hearing and Language Association, along with many local honors in the state of
Iowa.

He
again returned to school and in 1978 earned a PhD in educational administration
from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa.  In 1989 he made the decision to
take a position with the Western Hills Area Education Agency in Sioux City,
Iowa.  He served first as Assistant Director of Special Education and
then advanced to the Director of Special Education where he remained until
his retirement in 2001.

After
retiring Jerry and DeVee “hit the road” traveling full-time in
their RV throughout the United States and Canada.  The most memorable
trips were to Alaska, Hawaii and Washington, D.C., and all the wonderful history
seen there.  Their trips focused on visiting many national parks,
monuments, battlegrounds, state capitols and historical attractions all over
the United States.  Jerry also
enjoyed trips to the UK, a river cruise through the Netherlands, and cruises to
the West Indies in the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, twice through the Panama
Canal and both coasts of Mexico.  Travel brought so many memories to
cherish.

He
was preceded in death by his parents, Glen and Ella Haake Brown; sister
Doris Brown Morgan and husband Collins and their son Anthony
Morgan from Hernando, Florida; and sister Shirley Brown Mammano
and husband Joseph from Champaign, Illinois.

He
is survived by his wife of nearly 58 years, Mary DeVee Brown of Apache
Junction, Arizona; daughter Roxanne Bassett and husband Tony of
Urbandale, Iowa; son Patrick Brown and wife Sandra of Olathe,
Kansas; grandchildren Micah Bassett and wife Tabitha of
Lawrence, Kansas; Jonah Bassett and Noah Bassett of Urbandale, Iowa;
Sarah Champion and husband Andrew of Pleasant Hill, Iowa; and
Sydney Brown of Olathe, Kansas; great granddaughter Emery Champion of Pleasant
Hill, Iowa.

He
is also survived by two sisters, Donna Brown Casper and husband Vinal of
Taylorsville, Utah, and Beverly Brown Thompson and husband Richard of Yuma,
Arizona; two brothers, Forrest Brown and wife Betty of Omaha,
Nebraska, and Jon Brown of Oberlin, Kansas; and numerous nieces
and nephews.

Jerry
spent most of the last 15 years working for and with all the friends in
the Meridian Manor community in Apache Junction.  He participated in
many roles and was respected for his good judgment and leadership
abilities.  He served on the HOA board and as its president.  He
loved to play table tennis for many years and turned to pool playing in his
later years.  He looked forward to spending time with his pool buddies and
passed many hours honing his skills.  While he wasn’t the best player, he
enjoyed a good competition.

On
his 79th birthday he was able to celebrate with numerous friends and neighbors
at an open house where close to 100 people came to wish him “Happy
Birthday.”  Friends and family unable to attend, arranged a card
shower, and how wonderful that was. It took him several days to open all
of them.

His love bubbled over for the latest addition
to the family, his first great granddaughter, Emery.  On their last visit
to Arizona he planned ways to entice her to come sit on his lap.  What joy
this little girl brought to him.

We are thankful for the love and support
extended to our family after his passing. 
We are truly blessed with our kind and caring family and friends.  The hole in our hearts will be large but will
be filled with the love and memories we all cherish.  He will be missed……

Service information in Des Moines, Iowa and Apache Junction, Arizona

A graveside service will be held on:

August 4, 2019, 2:00 o’clock pm

at Lowman Cemetery

Located just east of Hwy 316 on SE 56th
Ave

Runnells, Iowa

 (If
desired,  please bring a folding chair/lawn
chair) 

A light lunch will follow at the

Sleep Inn and Suites,

5850 Morning Star Ct,

Pleasant Hill, IA 50327. 

The family will enjoy a chance to
reminisce with any of Jerry’s friends. Note: If health issues prohibit you from
being outside you are more than welcome to join us afterwards at the motel.

A Memorial/Celebration of life service
will be held on

December 6, 2019, 3:00 o’clock pm

At the Meridian Manor Ballroom

2101 S Meridian Road

Apache Junction, AZ 85120

A potluck will follow the service

Note:

Memorials will be given to the Apache
Junction Food Bank, (Jerry’s favorite charity)

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Jerome Dean Brown


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Send Flowers Print Obituary

Jerome
(Jerry) Dean Brown of Apache Junction, Arizona, passed on June 23, 2019,
after a long battle with prostate cancer.  He was born on January 16,
1940, in Fairbury, Nebraska, to Glen and Ella Haake Brown.  The family
lived on a farm near Daykin, Nebraska, and then moved
to Des Moines, Iowa, where Glen worked as a stone cutter.  The family
moved back to the farm and Jerry attended school until he graduated
from Daykin High School in 1958.  He enjoyed sports and excelled in
basketball.  For a couple of years he and his two brothers were three of
the team’s starting five lineup.

While
a senior he enlisted in the National Guard of Nebraska, serving in
the Nebraska and Iowa National Guard for a total of 11 years.
 Jerry attended junior college in Fairbury  for two years, finishing
in 1960.  He worked as a brakeman for the Rock Island Railroad for more
than a year to make money to continue college. 

In
January of 1961 he met his future wife, Mary DeVee Davis of Superior, Nebraska,
who was attending Fairbury Junior College.  They were married on
November 19, 1961.

Jerry
received his B.A. in Education from Nebraska State Teachers College in Kearney,
Nebraska, in 1968.  His first job was at Hampton Public Schools in
Nebraska as a social studies teacher and as the head football coach,
assistant basketball coach and  volleyball coach.  They lived
there three years when he made the decision to further his education.
 He earned a Master’s Degree in Speech Pathology and
Audiology from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. 

Upon
graduation he moved the family to Bettendorf, Iowa, and became an educational
audiologist for the Muscatine-Scott county schools.  He had
worked there for three years when he was recruited to work for the State of
Iowa’s Department of Education in the Division of Special Education as the
Consultant for Hearing Conservation.  During these years he initiated many
innovative programs for hearing-impaired children.  He received many
honors for his work, including being made a Fellow with the American Speech,
Hearing and Language Association, along with many local honors in the state of
Iowa.

He
again returned to school and in 1978 earned a PhD in educational administration
from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa.  In 1989 he made the decision to
take a position with the Western Hills Area Education Agency in Sioux City,
Iowa.  He served first as Assistant Director of Special Education and
then advanced to the Director of Special Education where he remained until
his retirement in 2001.

After
retiring Jerry and DeVee “hit the road” traveling full-time in
their RV throughout the United States and Canada.  The most memorable
trips were to Alaska, Hawaii and Washington, D.C., and all the wonderful history
seen there.  Their trips focused on visiting many national parks,
monuments, battlegrounds, state capitols and historical attractions all over
the United States.  Jerry also
enjoyed trips to the UK, a river cruise through the Netherlands, and cruises to
the West Indies in the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, twice through the Panama
Canal and both coasts of Mexico.  Travel brought so many memories to
cherish.

He
was preceded in death by his parents, Glen and Ella Haake Brown; sister
Doris Brown Morgan and husband Collins and their son Anthony
Morgan from Hernando, Florida; and sister Shirley Brown Mammano
and husband Joseph from Champaign, Illinois.

He
is survived by his wife of nearly 58 years, Mary DeVee Brown of Apache
Junction, Arizona; daughter Roxanne Bassett and husband Tony of
Urbandale, Iowa; son Patrick Brown and wife Sandra of Olathe,
Kansas; grandchildren Micah Bassett and wife Tabitha of
Lawrence, Kansas; Jonah Bassett and Noah Bassett of Urbandale, Iowa;
Sarah Champion and husband Andrew of Pleasant Hill, Iowa; and
Sydney Brown of Olathe, Kansas; great granddaughter Emery Champion of Pleasant
Hill, Iowa.

He
is also survived by two sisters, Donna Brown Casper and husband Vinal of
Taylorsville, Utah, and Beverly Brown Thompson and husband Richard of Yuma,
Arizona; two brothers, Forrest Brown and wife Betty of Omaha,
Nebraska, and Jon Brown of Oberlin, Kansas; and numerous nieces
and nephews.

Jerry
spent most of the last 15 years working for and with all the friends in
the Meridian Manor community in Apache Junction.  He participated in
many roles and was respected for his good judgment and leadership
abilities.  He served on the HOA board and as its president.  He
loved to play table tennis for many years and turned to pool playing in his
later years.  He looked forward to spending time with his pool buddies and
passed many hours honing his skills.  While he wasn’t the best player, he
enjoyed a good competition.

On
his 79th birthday he was able to celebrate with numerous friends and neighbors
at an open house where close to 100 people came to wish him “Happy
Birthday.”  Friends and family unable to attend, arranged a card
shower, and how wonderful that was. It took him several days to open all
of them.

His love bubbled over for the latest addition
to the family, his first great granddaughter, Emery.  On their last visit
to Arizona he planned ways to entice her to come sit on his lap.  What joy
this little girl brought to him.

We are thankful for the love and support
extended to our family after his passing. 
We are truly blessed with our kind and caring family and friends.  The hole in our hearts will be large but will
be filled with the love and memories we all cherish.  He will be missed……

Service information in Des Moines, Iowa and Apache Junction, Arizona

A graveside service will be held on:

August 4, 2019, 2:00 o’clock pm

at Lowman Cemetery

Located just east of Hwy 316 on SE 56th
Ave

Runnells, Iowa

 (If
desired,  please bring a folding chair/lawn
chair) 

A light lunch will follow at the

Sleep Inn and Suites,

5850 Morning Star Ct,

Pleasant Hill, IA 50327. 

The family will enjoy a chance to
reminisce with any of Jerry’s friends. Note: If health issues prohibit you from
being outside you are more than welcome to join us afterwards at the motel.

A Memorial/Celebration of life service
will be held on

December 6, 2019, 3:00 o’clock pm

At the Meridian Manor Ballroom

2101 S Meridian Road

Apache Junction, AZ 85120

A potluck will follow the service

Note:

Memorials will be given to the Apache
Junction Food Bank, (Jerry’s favorite charity)

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