Donald Lavern Brown

Funeral services for Donald Brown Jr. will be Tuesday, August 27, 2013 at 10:00 AM, at the Church at the Barn (Cowboy Church) on Echeta Road, Gillette, WY, with Pastor Mike Morrison officiating. Burial will follow at Mt. Pisgah Cemetery with Military Honors provided by The American Legion Post 42 Honor Guard. Visitation will be held from 4:00-7:00 p.m., Monday, August 26, 2013 at Gillette Memorial Chapel. Donald LaVern Brown Jr. 69, of Recluse, WY, died August 20, 2013 in Billings, MT., after a short battle with cancer. Donnie was born September 17, 1943 in Gillette, WY to Donald L. Brown Sr. and Vera May (Stephenson) Brown. He was a lifelong resident of Northern Campbell County graduating from Campbell County High School in May of 1962. During and after high school he worked for the Wagonsen Ranch and Toddy McCann up until he was drafted into the U.S. Army on March 23, 1965. He was deployed to Heilbronn, Germany in 1965 as a tank mechanic. He returned to Gillette in March, 1967, with an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army. He then went to work in the oil field for Jensen Well Service as a laborer working his way up to rig operator. In 1968 he went to work for Permian Corporation as a gauger in the oil field, becoming their District Manager. He worked for Permian for ten years before going into partnership in 1978 with Fred Oedekoven in the oil field service business. In 1999 he acquired the home place and later added the Beagle/McManamen place to it and embarked on ranching and oil field service up until the time of his death. On March 18, 1972, he married Betty June Foster and to this union Donnie brought sons Mike and Paul and Betty brought her son Billy into this marriage. Donnie was an avid fisherman; he spent his childhood fishing with his Granddad and Dad. He liked to go fishing in the mountains up until he bought his first boat and then Lake DeSmet was the only lake to fish. When he was not out on the lake fishing he watched the fisherman from the comfort of the deck of his house at the lake. Donnie enjoyed going to the NFR, this would have been his 28th year in a row to attend. Donnie was preceded in death in by his grandparents Louis (Pop) and Grace Stephenson and Edward I. and Bertha Brown, father Donald L. Brown Sr., nephew Gary Bell, sister-in-law Jonni K. Brown and nephew Joe D. Brown. He is survived by his wife Betty of 41 years, sons Mike Brown (Sheri Smith) of Gillette, WY, Billy Brown of Gillette, WY, Paul (Stacey) Brown of Weston, WY, three grandchildren Rayne Brown, Darin Brown and Tucker Brown of Weston, WY, his mother Vera Brown of Recluse, WY, one sister Joyce (Albert) Bell of Great Falls, MT, one brother Rex (Kathy) Brown of Recluse, WY, several nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers a memorial has been established to the St. Vincent's Healthcare Foundation/Meadowlark House, 1106 N. 30th Street, Billings, MT 59101 (406-237-3600). Memorials and condolences may also be sent in Donnie's name in care of Gillette Memorial Chapel, 210 W. 5th Street, Gillette, Wyoming 82716 or condolences via the internet at www.gillettememorialchapel.com.Funeral Home:Gillette Memorial Chapel210 West Fifth Street Gillette, WYUS 82716