LAVERNE BROWN
(Allie) Laverne Brown formerly of Bedford, IA passed away on Saturday July 11, 2020 and is now reunited with his beloved wife, Annabell, of 71 years. For the last several years, Laverne had resided at Mount Ayr Health Care Center in Mount Ayr, IA. Graveside funeral services for Laverne, age 92, were held Thursday, July 16, 2020 at 10 a.m. at Rose Hill Cemetery in Blockton, IA. Memorials may be directed to the Blockton Community Center in his name. Cummings Family Funeral Home was entrusted with the arrangements for Mr. Brown. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.cummingsfamilyfuneralhome.com under Obituaries.
Laverne was born to Allie and Hazel Brown on March 8, 1928 on the Brown family farm, just north of Blockton, IA. He was the youngest of six children: Mildred, Maona, Kenneth, Rex, Elton and then Laverne. All are now deceased.
Laverne attended a one room schoolhouse he called Country School through the eighth grade and high school In Blockton. In high school he played baseball and basketball with friends he grew up with and remained friends with throughout his life. He had many stories and fond memories that he wrote down and had made into a book called “The Story of My Life.” Each of his children and grandchildren have a copy.
After he graduated high school, he worked for the REA putting electric lines across the country. He tried to enlist in the Navy like many of his friends from school but since he was colorblind, they wouldn’t take him. In 1945 he enlisted in the Army and spent his 18th birthday in a pup tent at training camp. He ended up in Nuremberg, Germany during the Nuremberg Trials as a guard and then as a driver for the Motor Pool. He drove for a Chaplain, Major Carl Eggers. They became good friends and always kept in touch at Christmas time until Carl passed away in 1999.
Laverne sent most of his Army pay home to his mom but may have earned a little extra playing cards. He sent the extra home to Elton for him to put away for him. He didn’t want his mom to know he was playing cards. After his discharge from the Army he had saved enough to buy a truck for hauling livestock and whatever anyone needed to have hauled. Laverne and his brother, Rex, bought and sold livestock together for a while and used the truck and Laverne also took his future wife on their first date together in that same truck.
Laverne married Annabell Campbell on March 12, 1948. Together they bought a farm just east of Bedford, IA. They loved farming their land together through the good and the not so good years, like every farm family has. They had many great neighbors, close friends and family that they traveled with, camped with and spent time with just talking or maybe playing a marble game they called Barn.
Laverne leaves behind three children: Tom Brown, Dan (Peg) Brown and Judy (Alan) Huggenberger. He also leaves behind four grandchildren: Thomas (Sonia), Tara (Cory), Kaley (Byron) and Jake and four great-grandchildren: Dallas, Clarke, Malin and Bode.
Laverne’s family would like to extend a sincere Thank You to all of our family and friends who were always available to help with anything, stop and talk or just hold a hand for comfort over these last several years. It meant the world to our parents and to us. Thank you.
