Virginia Brown

Virginia Brown of Erie, Colorado passed away peacefully on March 13, 2018 at the age of 93 at her home surrounded by her family. Her husband Dean L. Brown, her oldest grandchild and two brothers preceded her in death. She was born in Elkhart, Kansas on April 29, 1924. She is survived by her two sisters, Juanita Hochhalter and Cheryl Six. She is also survived by her four children and their spouses, Loretta Vair, Larry and Margaret Brown, Sherian and Barry New, and Douglas and Jamie Brown, her 11 grandkids (Dean L. Brown III, Jerry Brown, Michael Vair, Karian Hayes, Brian New, Sean Vair, Jenee Sutter, Darin Brown, Bradley New, Linda Cardwell and Brent New) and her 22 great grand kids (Tommy Brown, Christopher Vair, Andrew Brown, Jerry Brown Jr., Scarlette Vair, Cole Hayes, Everett Vair, Eric Brown, Kadie Hayes, Ryan Brown, Trent New, Charlotte Brown, Ava Vair, Cade Sutter, Jack New, Bodie Brown, Caylee Sutter, Owen Cardwell, Leopold New, Lilly Vair, Luke New and Linda Brown’s expected child. Virginia was the matriarch of the Brown family and an inspiration to all who knew her. Virginia was the oldest of 5 kids to Arva and Gladys Stewart. Arva was spelled A R V A but was pronounced Arvy and the Ar-vy were the initials of Rosa Virginia Stewart. But she went by Virginia. Arva’s parent’s had settled in Elkhart. Virginia grew up during the dust bowls of middle America in the late 20s and 30s. Life was hard and there was no work and no money. Kids would wear bandannas to cover their mouths and noses when going to school due to the dust. They would throw their live chickens in the basement so they would not blow away. Life was so tough for the Stewart family and after they lost their property to taxes, they moved to Monte Vista Colorado to get out of the dust and into the mountains. Virginia went to junior high and part of high school in Monte Vista and that is where she met Dean, the love of her life. Arva brought Dean home one time and that is when they first met. He was about 19 and she was 15. Dean kidded Arva that he had a pretty young wife, but it was Virginia. At that time, Dean owned some coal trucks and hauled coal in the San Luis Valley. Life was better but still tough for Virginia and her family. However they heard of jobs in the Portland/Vancouver area and packed up and moved. Virginia went to her final year of high school in Vancouver. She played clarinet in the high school band. Her relationship with Dean did not miss a beat and they continued their relationship despite their separation. He would often come to visit her from Colorado. The war broke out and Dean joined the Air Force (US Army Aircorps). He was a ball turret gunner on a B17 and was stationed in New Guinea for a year. He came back in 1943 and was awaiting his next assignment. However he did not want to go back overseas without getting married to Virginia first. Virginia in the meantime, had graduated from High School and worked as a welder in the shipyards, just like “Rosie the Riveter”. Virginia and her family were strong Nazarenes and she was earning money to go to the Nazarene College in Nampa, Idaho. Virginia and Dean got married in Salt Lake City, in 1943. Virginia continued to go to College after they were married, but soon left to be with Dean in Mountain Home, Idaho, where he was based. After the war, they moved back to the Portland area, and lived in Beaverton. Virginia and Dean began raising their three kids, Loretta, Larry and Sherian. Dean owned an auto repair and sales business with Arva that he also worked in. The business struggled due to, in part, employees stealing money. After about eight years, Dean wanted to move back to Colorado to be with his elderly parents. So they uprooted their family and moved to Castle Rock. Dean began work in Denver - in the car business. They later moved from Castle Rock to a brand new community called Thornton, in 1955. They wanted to be closer to Dad’s work in Denver, but could not afford the houses close by, so they chose Thornton. In 1956, the last child, Doug, was born. The family lived in Thornton until 1963 where the family moved to the neighboring Northglenn. Virginia lived in that house in Northglenn until 2004, when she moved to Erie. Virginia was deeply religious and raised her kids in the Thornton Presbyterian Church. Virginia and Dean were part of the founding members of the Church. Even if Dean and Virginia did not attend church every Sunday, she made sure her kids did. Virginia was part of the Greatest Generation - a generation that generally grew up in poverty, experienced great sacrifice through the war and was motivated to work hard for a better life for their kids. A selfless generation. Virginia Brown exemplified all of those attributes. A matriarch is a woman who is head of the family and strong willed. When they were defining that term, they could of just referred to a picture of Virginia. She was the matriarch of the Brown family even before the passing of her husband, Dean. All decisions of the Brown family indirectly or directly, went through her. She did not demand it but the family always wanted her input. She had earned such respect by her continued selfless acts to not only her family, but all she met. She loved to talk to people and pushed her kids to be outgoing and friendly. She loved to travel and see the world. She visited every state in the union, many states multiple times. She travelled with Dean and with her family and continued to travel after Dean’s death. She travelled to over 60 countries and 6 continents. She wanted her kids to take her to Antarctica but she ran out of time. She made instant friends with all people she met. If she was part of the younger generations today, I am sure she would be one of the first to visit the moon. She had one great love of her life, and that was her husband Dean Brown, who passed in 1996. She has survived him by almost 22 years. But one still does not think of her without also thinking of Dean. They were a perfect couple. She called the shots and Dean had the veto power that he exercised with great discretion. Members of the Brown family learned about the success of a marriage by watching Virginia and Dean and how they loved each other. Virginia Brown was a woman ahead of her time. She believed women could do anything that men could do. She didn’t let society stop her. Even though Dad did not want her to work, because it would show he couldn’t provide for his family, she decided she could work by getting involved with rental properties. In today’s world she would have had advanced degrees and her own professional career. Perhaps the one thing that all people who knew her will not forget is her ability to have a special relationship with anyone she interacted with. Virginia always gave anyone she was talking to, her undivided attention. She made the listener feel that they were the genuinely the most important thing to her at the time. There are close to 50 members of this family, not including extended family, and I would guarantee that each member of the family had a separate and unique relationship with Virginia Brown. As we remember Virginia, may we all try to emulate her in our lives. She will not soon be forgotten. She will be missed, especially her energy, her drive and her kindness. Celebration Services will be held at Crossroads Church at 10451 Huron Street Northglenn on March 21, 2018 at 10:30 am. Donations in her name can be made to Northwest Nazarene University at giving.nnu.edu, or the American Heart Association at donatenow.heart.org. Please share your memories of Virginia & condolences with her family by visiting the guestbook below.