Jeanne Mildred Knox Brown, 84
Jeanne Mildred Knox Brown, 84, of Whitefish, died peacefully of natural causes at the Whitefish Colonial Manor on Sunday, Dec. 12, 2004. She suffered from Alzheimer's disease the last years of her life.
Jeanne was born Oct. 9, 1920, in Denton, to Joseph Knox and Marian Day Knox. Plagued by severe chronic asthma during her childhood, she was raised on a farm in central Montana, and graduated high school from Stanford High School in 1940. She attended Montana State College in Bozeman from 1940-1942 where she was a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority.
During World War II, Jeanne lived in Peoria, Ill., where, as part of the war effort, she worked in a Caterpillar manufacturing plant. During this time, she met by mail and corresponded with Clifford "Red" Brown while he was serving in North Africa and Italy. When he returned from the war in the fall of 1945, they courted and were married in Kalispell on Dec. 9, 1945. They had celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary in 2002.
They lived briefly in Dixon and then in Thompson Falls before moving back to the Flathead in 1952. In 1962, they purchased a grain and cattle ranch in the Bissell community west of Whitefish where they lived until two years ago.
Jeanne was a longtime member of the Flathead County Republican Women's Club. She participated in Stillwater Free Lutheran Church's choir and Bible studies for many years. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Whitefish in recent years.
In addition to being a homemaker, Jeanne worked as a teacher's aide at BisselI school for 10 years and loved hosting children in her home for special treats. Jeanne always enjoyed her cats and dogs, her flower gardens, her art and craft projects, and her many nature walks. She was, most of all, devoted to her family.
She is survived by her son, Bob Brown, daughter-in-law, Sue, and granddaughters, Robin and Kelly; her daughter, Marian Cartee, son-in-law, Mike, and grandson, Dale, all of Whitefish; her sister, Barbara Fuller and brother-in-law, Eddie, of Kalispell; her sister, Grace "Sunny" Waller of Wenatchee, Wash.; her sister-in-law, Doris Knox of Winifred; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Dick Knox; and her husband, Red.
Jeanne will be remembered by family and friends as a compassionate woman who taught others the values by which she lived. She believed "It's not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game." And she always stressed the importance of "being particularly kind to those who are less fortunate." She often opened her home for extended periods to children whose families were having hard times.
Visitation will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19, at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home in Kalispell. Memorial services will be conducted by the Rev. Kent Morrison at 11 a.m. Monday, Dec. 20, at the First Baptist Church in Whitefish.
Memorials can be made to the Friendship House, 606 Second Ave. W., Kalispell.
Buffalo Hill Funeral Home is caring for the family.