Mel Brown Obituary

Mel Brown  Vern Melvin Mel Brown, 84, of Provo, died August 5, 2002, at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls following a massive heart attack.Born August 6, 1917, at Idaho Falls, to Vern LeRoy Brown and Etta Maude Love Brown, he grew up in Idaho Falls and graduated from Idaho Falls High School. He attended the University of Idaho Southern Branch (now ISU) and received his Civil Engineering degree from the University of Utah. He served as an Ensign in the U. S. Navy during World War II. He married Donna Evans Cole August 27, 1937, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. They made their home in Idaho Falls, where he owned and operated Mel Brown Company, a pioneer in sprinkler irrigation systems in Idaho and surrounding states, as well as Saudia Arabia. He also operated Brown's Heating & Appliance. An active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he had served as Bishop, Seventy, High Councilman, and Temple worker.  After their retirement he and Donna served a mission to the Washington, DC Asian Mission. He enjoyed photography, family history, world travel, and especially loved their family cabin at Henry's Lake, ID. Surviving are: wife Donna Brown, Provo; son Joseph LeRoy Brown, Provo; daughter DeAnne Whiting, Orchard Park, NY; daughter  Maureen Petersen, Idaho Falls; daughter: Donnell Detweiler, Orem; daughter Julie Gardner, Montevideo, Uruguay; son Stanley Evan Brown, Osaka, Japan; daughter Janis Brown, Bountiful; daughter, Jill Shumway, Orem; sister Marjorie Klingenberg, Idaho Falls; 44 grandchildren and 38 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, Al, Clinton, and Dale Brown, and two sisters, Donna Brown and Darlene Pullman. Funeral Services 1:00 p.m. Saturday, August 10, 2002, Idaho Falls LDS 8th Ward, 2055 South Emerson, with his son-in-law, Lynn J. Whiting, officiating. Family Visitation is Friday from 7-8:30 p.m. at Wood Funeral Home, 273 North Ridge, Idaho Falls, and for one hour prior to services on Saturday at the church. Burial is in Fielding Memorial Park under the direction of Wood Funeral Home. Military Rites will be performed by the Bonneville County Veterans Team.