Obituary

Donald Dean Brown

December 12, 1930–March 25, 2022

The world lost a sweet and gentle man on March 25, when Don Brown, 91, of Dayton went to his eternal rest.

Don was born to Ted Brown and Doris Stanton on December 12, 1930, the oldest of three children. He spent the majority of his life in Dayton, graduation with the class of 1949, and being a devoted alumni at class reunions.

He married Lois Gentry in 1950 and they were blessed with two daughters, Cheryl and Trish. They enjoyed many family vacations of boating and snowmobiling.

Don will best be remembered for his career as the Parts Manager for Frontier Machinery John Deere for over 40 years. Even recently, he would still be greeted warmly as "Brownie" by some of his former farm clients and remembered for his great memory of all those part numbers in the days before computers. He was an avid Seahawks fan and would rarely be seen without a Seahawks hat on.

Don and Lois became snowbirds after retiring, traveling every winter to Needles, Calif., in their RV.

After losing Lois to cancer in 1999, he met Dayton resident Kay Tunell who had also lost her spouse Bob in 1999. Don and Kay married in February 2001 in Needles, Calif., and enjoyed many years of traveling, spending time with family and going on cruises. Don will be remembered as a loving and caring caretaker to Kay when she went through cancer treatments and the years following.

In 2020 when Kay and Don could no longer live in their home, they moved to Brookdale and then Booker Rest Home in Dayton. We want to thank the staff there for always treating Don as one of their family.

Don was preceded in death by his mother Doris Elder, father Ted Brown, stepfather Bert Elder, sister Carol Brown, brother and sister-in-law Bill and Joi Brown, and stepbrother Bill Elder.

Hi is survived by stepbrothers Don Elder of Walla Walla and Ray Elder of Loveland Color., daughters Trish (Ron) Grove, and Cheryl (Terry) Startin of Spokane; stepson Matt Tunell of Prescott, stepdaughter Kris Buettner of Bellingham, five grandchildren, four great grandchildren and many extended families.

A Celebration of Life is planned at the Columbia County Fairgrounds Youth Building in Dayton on May 14 from 1–3 p.m.