George W Brown

POCATELLO - George W. Brown, 71, of Tyhee, Bannock County, Idaho passed away Thursday March 5, 2009 at home surrounded by his wife, children, sister, and many nieces and nephews from a long fought battle with lung cancer. He was born January 26, 1938 at East McDowell, Kentucky, to Willie Brown and Lena Vance Brown. George came from a very hard working family with an extremely strong family bond.
After his father died, George first came to Idaho in 1948 with his big brother Robert (Hoss) Brown and grandparents Sis and Epperson Brown in a 1946 Dodge. They came to Idaho to visit Epp's sister Francis (Brown) Frasure. After graduating from Meade Memorial High School, playing and staring in basketball in Kentucky, George returned to Idaho with his little sister Bonnie (Brown) Williams. They lived with his older beloved sister Mildred (Brown) Frasure. Mildred became like a second mother and George became like an older brother to Mildred's three boys Ron, Bobby and Evan. George's pride and joy was his 1956 green Cadillac convertible with white leather seats, his absolute all time favorite car, that he had those three boys washing and cleaning often.
George joined the Air Force at age 22 in Pocatello in May of 1960. He was stationed first at Fort Douglas in Salt Lake City, then on to San Antonio, Texas for basic training in Aircraft weapon Mechanics. In 1962, he transferred to Orlando Air Force base. There a friend to his future bride, Joyce Arnett, introduced them. They discovered their hometowns in Kentucky were only 25 miles apart. They began dating and George was always borrowing money from Joyce, claiming to be broke quite a bit. After dating for about 6 months she had enough invested in him and decided she might just as well marry him. On July 16, 1962, they were married in Homerville, Georgia.
Their first child, Connie Sue Brown, was born in Orlando, Florida on February 11, 1963. George's final military service was 13 months in Osan Air Force Base in South Korea. His favorite experiences were as a basketball player for the air base and having the chance to play in a number of tournaments in Japan. Returning State side after a short time in Kentucky, they moved to the Tyhee area north of Pocatello, and George also continued to play the game of basket ball here in Pocatello. Their second child Michael Lynn Brown was born on December 8, 1965 in Pocatello. George instilled great values in Connie and Mike, and wanted them to work hard and be the best they could be in their lives.
Numerous trips were taken throughout the years to their home State of Kentucky that he loved and missed so much to see his sister Juanita and her family, and the many cousins that he loved so much.
George loved the outdoors and fishing. He would take his fishing buddy, nephew Evan Frasure, fishing all the time over the next few years. They would spend endless hours on the Blackfoot River as well as on the Little Lost River, Wet Creek and at the old blown out Dry Creek Reservoir. They would drag Joyce and the two small children along so that she could cook and make camp for them, Joyce was a real trooper. George and Joyce loved taking their grand children Cortney and Derrick camping and fishing. George also thought so much of his nephews Roger, Darrell, Dave and Tom Brown, Ronnie Williams, Cain Cottell, Ron and Bobby Frasure, and nieces Sandy, Sharon, Bonita, Susan, Dedra and Deloris.
George first worked at Kraft Foods in Pocatello, then Partner Steel for 10 years before taking a job with the Union Pacific Railroad as a Carman for 26 years before retiring in 1998. During his final two years with the railroad they lived just outside of St. Louis, Missouri only about 450 miles from Kentucky. This gave them a chance to be closer to their relatives from their original homes in Kentucky.
Later in life, George loved to fish and camp also with his favorite cousins, Bud and James Frasure. They would take their wives and really enjoy numerous trips, especially Saw Mill Canyon. George and Joyce bought a fifth-wheel and spent a number of winters in Earp, California where they made many friends they looked forward to seeing each winter.
George is survived by; his wife, Joyce Brown of Tyhee; children, Connie (Tim) Olson, Michael Brown, Pocatello; grandchildren, Cortney Nicole Olson, Derrik Brown; sisters, Juanita Compton, Ashland, KY, Bonnie (Bruce) Williams, Pocatello, Mary Lou (Jim) Parkin, Glendale, AZ; and his aunt, Maggie Wheatley of Pocatello. In addition he leaves behind many wonderful nieces, nephews and cousins living mainly in Idaho and Kentucky.
His parents Willie and Lena; three brothers, Robert (Hoss) Brown, Willie Jr., Herman Brown, Philmon Brown; and sister, Mildred Frasure, preceded him in death.
The family wish to give special thanks to his sister, Bonnie Williams, son-in-law Tim Olson and niece Sandy Hebdon and her husband Ray for the many, many hours given with special love to George, as well as Creekside Hospice, with special mention to Daniel Steel, for their kind service and love. Also thanks to Joyce's brother James Arnett, and sister Karen Pitts from Kentucky for their love and support to Joyce and the family daily.
Funeral services for George will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, March 9, 2009 at Wilks Funeral Home 211 W. Chubbuck Rd. A viewing will be held from 1:00 to 1:45 p.m. prior to the service at the funeral home. Interment will follow services on Monday at Restlawn Memorial Gardens. Military rites will be provided by the Pocatello Veterans Honor Guard. Arrangements are under the care and direction of Wilks Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.wilksfuneralhome.com