Marilyn Brown

   Marilyn Brown was born August 23, 1928 in Albany, Missouri to Lucille and William Butler. She died January 6, 2017 at Bickford Memory Care, Sioux City. She attended Albany High School and later graduated from Maryville State Teachers College and Chillicothe Business College in 1945. 
   She married Robert H. (Bob) Brown. She lived in Albany, MO, Des Moines, IA, Fort Dodge, Sioux City, Cedar Rapids, IA., and Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska. Marilyn worked as a Legal Secretary for the Law Firm of Wetz and Cosgrove in Sioux City and as Administrative Officer for U.S. Attorney in Iowa and Nebraska. As part of her employment she traveled all over the United States to various offices of U.S. Attorneys. Two of her favorite U. S. Attorneys that she worked for were Gary Wenell and Ron Lahners. She loved the job, and she loved the people she worked with and made many friends. After retirement she worked as a Paraprofessional with special needs/special education children in the Bellevue, Nebraska school system.
   She was a member of Whitfield United Methodist Church, Sioux City, IA., and St. James United Methodist Church, Bellevue, Nebraska. She was a member of Toastmasters, International. Marilyn was preceded in death by her husband Robert H. Brown and grandson Benjamin A. Brown. Survivors include son, David Brown, wife Karen, of Ames, Iowa, daughter, Susan Brown-Jones and husband The Rev. Jerry S. Jones, of Hays, Kansas, and son, Jeff Brown of Sioux City, Iowa, as well as four grandchildren (Samuel, Tyler, Sydnie, and Sammie.)
   Funeral arrangements are by Meyer Brothers Funeral Home, Sioux City. There will be a private graveside service at later date. Marilyn lived a full and event-filled life. For the average family, just raising their own children (David, Susan, and Jeff) would have been enough of a challenge. But, Marilyn and her husband, Bob, opened their home and hearts to 15 foster children – all teenage boys – over a period of several years. Food and the preparation of it was one of her many talents and passions. Evidence of this can be seen in her (3) published cookbooks. For anyone coming to visit her, the first question was “what do you want to eat?” Marilyn was a member of a wonderful and faithful group of ladies called The Lunch Bunch which started getting together between years (1975-1976). The “Bunch” would gather on the first Saturday of every month (Elly Gibson, Muriel Lyle, Marge Meyer (d), Barb Mueller, Joann Pithan, Jan Reese, and Ginny Seiffert (d).) The group continues to meet to this day, even though their numbers have declined. Marilyn loved to shop. There isn’t a salesperson either at the grocery store or department store that Marilyn was not interested in their life’s story. She knew many of them by their first name. To Marilyn’s last days, Muriel Lyle remained loyal and steadfast and was considered a better-than-sister friend. The family wishes to thank the Director and Staff at Bickford Memory Care in Sioux City, for their professional and compassionate care of our mother.
   Memorials are suggested to: Bickford Memory Care, Sioux City, Iowa