Luella F. Brown, 59, of Albert Lea, died peacefully at her home in Albert Lea on Wednesday, May 22, 2013.

Luella Fay Brown was born on Aug. 6, 1953, at Naeve Hospital in Albert Lea to Sidney A. and Elsie G. Brown. Luella was baptized on April 4, 1954, at First Presbyterian Church in Albert Lea. The baptism was performed by the Rev. Lloyd A. Peterson and witnessed by Ross E. Hunt and Glen W. Ives.

Because of a severe type of retardation, Luella was made a ward of Freeborn County and lived most of her life in homes maintained to house the mentally retarded in a comfortable setting. Luella resided in Shakopee’s Children Home from 1958 to 1965. In 1965, she was transferred to the Faribault Regional Treatment Center and then to the Rochester State Hospital. The last years of her life Luella spent in corporate adult foster homes in both Albert Lea and Austin. A caseworker for Crest Services said this about Luella: “One could say that Luella was a social butterfly in her day, attending any and all ARC activities, bowling being her first love and dancing to ’50s and ’60s rock and roll music; Elvis Presley being her all-time favorite singer. She proudly displayed his picture on her wall right up there with the cherished pictures of her family and friends. Her family picture albums were very important to her, and she enjoyed looking through them often. For an entire week in the summer, you could find Luella at Camp Winnebago for her yearly camping excursion.”

She was preceded in death by her parents, Sidney A. and Elsie G. Brown; and her brother, Joseph Brown.

Luella is survived by her brothers- and sisters-in-law, Sidney J. and Judy Brown of Austin, Raymond and Kitty Brown of Germany and David and Linda Brown of Eden Prairie; sisters, Elizabeth Wiley of Edina and Beryl Bank of Austin; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Austin with the Rev. Susan Rector Li officiating. Visitation will be at the church one hour before the service. Clasen-Jordan Mortuary is assisting with arrangements.