Donald James Brown, 84, of rural Milton, Iowa passed away on September 16, 2024 at his home. He was born on July 17, 1940 in Troy, Iowa to Harold and Helen Brown. He graduated from Troy High School in 1958. On May 9, 1959 he married Mary Lou Lewis in Pulaski, Iowa. Mary Lou passed away on June 13, 2011.
Donald started his working career at Barker in Keosauqua, Iowa and later worked for American Chain and Cable in Fairfield, Iowa. He was elected to be a shop steward for the AFL-CIO Machinists union while working for American Chain and Cable and later became a union representative for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. Donald worked as a representative for 20 years, retiring in 2002. Don farmed for many years on the Brown Century Farm in Van Buren County. He was an outdoorsman who loved to hunt and fish. He was a long-time supporter of many national and local conservation and hunting organizations. Don had many wonderful memories of being on the farm in Iowa as well as spending his summers as a youth with family in Montana.
He is survived by a daughter, Donita Brown of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa; son, William (Karoleen “Charlie”) Brown of Floris, Iowa; two grandchildren, Kayla (Jordan) Gray of Danville, Iowa, Jason Benedict of St. Louis Park, Minnesota; three great-grandchildren, Brynn Gray, Brooks Gray, Aiden Hammel; two step-grandchildren, Jennifer Hammel of Floris, Iowa, Logan (Jessica) Hammel of De Soto, Iowa; brother, Philip (Donna) Brown of Carlisle, Iowa; two sisters-in-law, Donna Brown of Lake Havasu, Arizona, Donna Lewis of Floris, Iowa; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife; and brother, John Wayne Brown.
Visitation will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 26, 2024 at the Wagler Funeral Home in Bloomfield with the family present to greet friends from 5-7:00 p.m. A private family graveside service with burial of the cremated remains will be held at the Troy Cemetery at a later date. A memorial has been established to Van Buren County Conservation and be left at the funeral home or mailed to: Van Buren County Conservation, 816 Franklin St., Keosauqua, Iowa 52565.
