Milton Donald Brown

Milton Donald “Don” Brown, the son of William J. and Edene S. (Olson) Brown, was born Oct. 12, 1945, in Decatur, Neb. 

Don and family lived in Nebraska and Missouri before moving to the Elliott, Iowa area, where he spent most of his youth. 

Don served his country during Vietnam when he entered the U.S. Air Force on Feb. 14, 1963, and received his honorable discharged Feb. 13, 1967. 

Don married Barbara A. Nass Nov. 24, 1972, in Englewood, Colo. They lived in Englewood, where he worked for several companies. In 1982, Don and Barbara moved to Hill City, S.D., where he was a rancher, raising cattle and hogs and putting-up many thousand bales of hay.

Don and Barb returned to Elliott in 1995 to make it their home. He served on the Elliott City Council, Elliott Volunteer Fire Department and neighborhood watch. He also made many children in the area happy by being the community Santa Claus.

Don enjoyed hunting, fishing, target practice, playing cribbage, telling stories and gardening. He was a jack-of-all-trades and loved to show his inventing skills. He was a member of the NRA and enjoyed attending Southwest Iowa Community Bible Study. 

Don died suddenly Dec. 3 at the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital, Red Oak, Iowa. He was 74.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Laurel Smith; and brothers,  Dennis, David, William and Howard.

Don is survived by his wife, Barbara Brown of Elliott, Iowa; sons, William Meyer of Littleton, Colo., and Ronald (Cheri) Brown of Shannon City, Iowa; daughters, Wendy (Kevin) McCombs of Graham, Wash., Cheri Rodriguez of Elliott, Iowa, and Christine Ryan of Chariton, Wyo.; 16 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; brothers,  Richard (Arline) Brown of Council Bluffs, Iowa and Charles (Cheryl) Brown of Marshalltown, Iowa; sisters, Georgia Rensch of Red Oak, Iowa, Rose Keast of Red Oak, Iowa and Rhonda (Gary) Wickering of Marshalltown, Iowa; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Family requests memorials in lieu of flowers to the Wounded Warrior Project.

Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at sldfuneralhome.com.

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