Arthur Marion Brown (1909 - 2012)

Born 23 Dec 1909 in Washington Twp., Buena Vista County, Iowa

Ancestors

Died 9 Feb 2012 at age 102 in Bettendorf, Iowa

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Biography

Arthur M. Brown, 102, of Bettendorf, Iowa, died Thursday, February 9, 2012 at Trinity Pathway Hospice in Bettendorf.

A Masonic Memorial service will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 21, 2012 at the Bettendorf Masonic Center, 2412 Grant St. in Bettendorf. A service to celebrate his life will be held at the Nicklas D. Jensen Funeral Home in Alta, Iowa on Friday, May 4, 2012 at 1:30 p.m. Burial will be in Buena Vista Memorial Park Cemetery in Storm Lake, Iowa where military honors will be conducted. McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Home of Bettendorf is assisting the family with arrangements.

Arthur Marion Brown was born December 23, 1909 in rural Storm Lake, the son of Oscar B. and Frances (Harding) Brown. He graduated from Storm Lake High School in 1928 and attended Buena Vista College. On June 1, 1947, he was united in marriage to Elsie L. Strand in Sheldon, Iowa. She preceded him in death on June 13, 1986.

Art was a U.S. Army veteran of WWII from 1942 to 1945, serving as a Staff Sgt. in the 6th Army Headquarters, 1st Cav. Division in the South Pacific. He was stationed in Australia, New Guinea, the Philippines, and Kyoto in the occupation of Japan. He was honorably discharged on November 29, 1945, and was awarded the Good Conduct Medal and the Philippine Liberation Medal with one star.

Art farmed near Storm Lake, Iowa on the family farm until 1935. The family moved to Primghar, Iowa where Art and his brothers farmed in a family partnership with their father. In 1971, Art and Elsie moved to Lakewood, Colorado where Art worked for Wood Brothers Construction Company until 1975. Art and Elsie moved to Davenport in 1976.

Art was raised to the degree of Master Mason on Oct. 21, 1946. He held memberships in Hamilton Lodge # 664, Early Morning Lodge # 672, Davenport High Twelve Club # 47, Davenport Lodge # 37, the Davenport, Clinton, and Muscatine York Rite, Grand Commandery of the Knights Templar, St. Simon of Cyrene Commandery # 9, Mohassan Grotto, Kaaba Shrine, DeMolay, Amaranth, Philalethes Society, and the Davenport Order of the Eastern Star. Art was a 32nd degree mason of the Scottish Rite and past Grand Officer of Royal Arch Masons of Iowa. In 1978, Art was awarded the General Grand Chapter Distinguished Service Award. He also received the Knights Templar Cross of Honor, the Bronze Metal Award Royal Arch Masons, State of Iowa award, and the Knight of Ish Sodi Royal and Select Masters, State of Iowa award, and the KYCH award. Art was a 77 year member of the Storm Lake Iowa Order of Odd Fellows and a 65 year member of the Primghar American Legion Post # 36 and the VFW. He was also a member of the New Hope United Methodist Church in Muscatine, Iowa.

Left to cherish Art’s memory are his daughter, Eileen (Don) Emerson of Bettendorf; his grandchildren, Brent (Julie) Emerson of Huxley, Iowa, Kevin ( Jo Ann) Emerson of Shawnee, Kansas, and Nicole Emerson of New Ulm, Minnesota; his great-grandchildren, Kelli, Karlee, Grace, and Aidan; his sister-in-law Arlene Brown of Littleton, Colorado; and many other beloved relatives and friends.

In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by his sister, Bernice Turnquist; his brothers, Clarence Brown and Everett Brown; and his close and special friend, Inis Chapman.

Sources

• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XMNF-MRQ : accessed 19 July 2015), Arthur Brown in household of Oscar Brown, Grant, Buena Vista, Iowa, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 0009, sheet 2B, family 41, line 85, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 645; FHL microfilm 2,340,380.
• "Iowa Births and Christenings, 1830-1950," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XVJB-NRV : accessed 19 July 2015), Oscar B. Brown in entry for Arthur Marion Brown, ; citing Washington Twp., Buena Vista County, Iowa; FHL microfilm 1,428,655.
• http://www.mcginnis-chambers.com/notices/Arthur-Brown

• http://iagenweb.org/boards/buenavista/obituaries/index.cgi?rev=381184