Funeral services for William Edward Brown, 78, of Albert Lea will be held at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Chapel. The Revs. Ron Brey, Jerry R. Hanson and Ron Brown will officiate. Interment will be at Greenwood Cemetery in Glenville. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service.
Bill died Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2009, at St. John’s Lutheran Home.
William Edward Brown was born on Oct. 1, 1930, to Leonard and Lillian (Howard) Brown in Valentine, Neb. He graduated from Mt. Vernon High School in South Dakota in 1949 and attended one year of college. Bill was united in marriage to Maxine Hanson on Aug. 23, 1951, in Albert Lea. The couple lived in South Dakota until 1952 when they returned to Albert Lea. In February of 1952 Bill started working for Freeborn County as deputy auditor. He retired in 1985 as the county auditor/treasurer. Bill served as the president of the Minnesota Association of County Auditors. Bill also served as the pastor of Waseca and Albert Lea Wesleyan Churches for 19 years. Bill served as the director of Youth for Christ for many years. The family traveled and sang Gospel music for many years and Bill enjoyed listening to the LPs of the family singing.
Survivors include his wife, Maxine; children: Jeffrey and wife Gail Brown of Mason, Mich., Joelene and husband, Don Nielsen of Albion, Mich., Janis and husband Mike Roche of Wells, Judson and wife Lori Brown of Apple Valley, and Jayne and husband Jon Hansen of Emmons; grandchildren: Erin and Henderson Harris, Judson and Catrina Brown, Maren Nielsen, Jordan Brown, Aubrey Brown, Eli Hansen, Chad Roche, Alex, Katie, Sam, Jack and Tom Brown; great-grandchildren: Benjamin Brown, and Ella and Kendyl Harris; brothers, Ron and wife Linda Brown of Springfield, Mo., and Carl and wife Beverly Brown of Gillette, Wyo.; sister, Mary Becker of Huron, S.D.; brother and sisters-in-law, Jerry and Pat Hanson and Ken and Kathleen Muilenburg; aunts, Gen and husband Don Reeves and Pauline Hobby both of South Dakota; many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents and in-laws; and infant son, James; and brother-in-law, Wilbert Becker.