Robert Brown

Robert (Bob) Irving Brown was born June 4, 1930 in Red Wing, Minnesota, to Irving and Hazel (Eckstrom) Brown. He went to be with his Lord on November 7, 2010 in Belleville, Kansas. He grew up in Red Wing where he attended the public schools and graduated in 1948. After high school he worked a few years in Red Wing for a Dodge Chrysler auto dealership. He then attended North Park College in Chicago, IL, earning a degree in music education in 1953. It was at North Park College where he was the student choir director that he met the woman who was to be his wife of 56 years, Donna Joyce Adee. They were married on August 7, 1954 at Brantford Covenant Church of Clyde, Kansas. To this union, three children were born, one girl, Cheryl, and two boys, Bruce and Jerry. They lived in St. Paul, Minnesota where he worked for 9 years as an accountant. He soon knew that he missed having an active work life in the outdoors, so in 1963 they moved the family to Haddam, Kansas where he had been introduced to the beekeeping industry by his father-in-law, Vernon Adee. He formed Brown Honey Farms and found his work with the bees and honey to be fulfilling and rewarding. In 1964 his parents also moved from Minnesota to Kansas to be near their only child. Besides beekeeping, he spent his spare time enjoying music. He directed the choir at Elim Covenant Church for 10 years in St. Paul, MN, and at the Brantford Covenant Church for 20 years near Clyde, KS, as well as being in numerous musical ensembles in the church and community. Bob and Donna were also active as youth sponsors at Brantford Covenant church for 18 years, and held Teens for Christ meetings in their home for the last 19 years. He was a member of Brantford Covenant Church where he served as Chairman, Deacon, Elder and Sunday school teacher. Bob was active in state and national beekeeping organizations. He was a charter founder of the American Honey Producers Association and served on the Board of Directors for many years, Secretary-Treasurer of the Kansas Honey Producers Association, and served on the Nominations Committee of the National Honey Board. He also served a number of years on the Haddam City Council.   He was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife Donna, daughter, Cheryl Miller and husband, Bill, of Manito, Illinois, sons, Bruce and wife, Irene of Concordia, and Jerry and wife Debbie of Haddam, granddaughter, Britinna Packett and husband Levi, of Haddam, and grandsons, Spencer Brown and wife, Rio, of Concordia, and Nathan Brown of Haddam. A Memorial Service was held Tuesday, November 9, 2010 at Brantford Covenant Church, rural Clyde, Kansas with Pastor Russell Sizemore officiating. A family graveside inurnment service to be held at a later date. Memorials in care of the family for charitable contributions. Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home, Belleville, Kansas was in charge of these arrangements.