Donna Brown

Direct Cremation was chosen. There will be no visitation.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Brantford Youth Camp Fund.

Donna Joyce Brown was born September 4, 1934 in Arnold, Nebraska to Vernon and Beulah Mae (Layher) Adee. She went to be with her Lord on Monday, October 23, 2017 at her home in Haddam, Kansas at the age of 83 years, 1 month, and 19 days. Donna grew up in the Sand Hills of Nebraska, moving to Haddam, Kansas in 1949 and graduated from Haddam High School in 1952. After high school, she attended North Park College in Chicago where she met and fell in love with her student choir director, Robert (Bob) Irving Brown. They were married August 7, 1954 at Brantford Covenant Church, rural Clyde, Kansas, and then moved to St. Paul, Minnesota. To this union three children were born: daughter Cheryl, and son Bruce being born in St. Paul, then son Jerry being born in Kansas, five days after the family moved to Haddam in February, 1963. Donna loved music, as did her husband Bob, being a member of the North Park College Choir, active in the choir at Elim Covenant Church for ten years in St. Paul and at the Brantford Covenant Church, rural Clyde, Kansas, last singing in the choir September 24, 2017. She was also involved in musical ensembles in the community. She loved teaching Sunday school, which she did for 45+ years. Donna started the Children’s Church program at Brantford and enjoyed leading that program for 27 years. Donna was active with Vacation Bible School, and was also active, along with her husband Bob, as the youth sponsors at Brantford for 18 years. They also held Teens for Christ meetings in their home in Haddam for 19 years. Donna was active with the Brantford Covenant Women, holding all offices several times. She also served on the Board for the Midwest Conference of the Covenant Women for multiple terms, and served as consultant for Christian Education for the Midwest Conference of the Covenant for several years. Donna was the National Weather Service Cooperative Observer for 14 years, a past President and member of USD 221 School Board, served on the Washington County Horizons Development Board, volunteered with the Washington Food Bank for 15+ years, and was President of the Haddam Alumni Association for 15 years, during which time she facilitated the formation of a 501c3 non-profit status for the Alumni Association. Donna enjoyed helping her husband Bob with the formation of Brown Honey Farms. They were awarded Beekeeper of the Year for Distinguished Leadership and Service to the Kansas Honey Producers Association in 2002, and received The American Honey Producers Association Outstanding Achievement Award for years of Dedication and Service to the AHPA and Beekeeping Industry in 2010. Donna was actively involved in the extracting and selling of their honey, delivering it to numerous locations throughout the State of Kansas. Donna’s hobbies included gardening, and she canned and froze much fruit and vegetables every year. She also enjoyed gathering news articles as the Secretary/Treasurer of the National Adee Family Association, and kept the family informed by sending out Adee Family Newsletters. Donna was preceded in death by her parents; brother Stanley Adee in 1959; and husband Bob Brown on November 7, 2010. She will be forever remembered by her daughter Cheryl Miller and husband Bill, Manito, Illinois; sons Bruce and wife Irene, Concordia, Kansas and Jerry and wife Debbie, Haddam, Kansas; granddaughter Britinna Packett and husband Levi, Colorado Springs; grandsons Spencer Brown and wife Rio, Concordia, Kansas and Nathan Brown, Colorado Springs; great grandson Maklen Brown and great granddaughter Merett Brown, Concordia, Kansas; sister Vernamae Johnson, Chicago area; brothers Richard Adee and wife Alice and Robert Brown all of Bruce, South Dakota; several nieces and nephews; other relatives and friends.