Velma Louise Brown, 91

Velma Louise Brown, 91, passed away on Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009, at Brendan House in Kalispell. She was born on April 5, 1918, at Fort Wordon Army Base in Port Townsend, Wash., the oldest of three children of Claude and Estella Mae (Dunn) Atkinson. Velma traveled extensively during her childhood years across the U.S. with her parents. During those years she lived in Washington, Kansas, Oklahoma, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. She enjoyed gardening, canning, cooking, crocheting, knitting and was an accomplished seamstress. On June 11, 1944, she married Louis Ethan Brown in Newport, Wash. Together they raised seven children. Velma worked for nine years at Bill Fewkes General Store in Rexford, and as a cook at Muldown Elementary School for many years after moving to Whitefish in 1968. She was loved and respected for her kindness and caring ways by all who knew her. She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Louis E. Brown; two sons, Danny Lee Brown and Stephen C. Brown; one daughter, Nancy Mae Paden; two grandsons, Kenneth Eugene Brown and Jonathan Leo Brown; one granddaughter, Patricia Jeanne Franks; one great-grandson, Robert Anthony Stevens; one brother, Donald Atkinson; and one sister, Anita Welter. She is survived by two sons, Louis Brown Jr., and Nora of Kalispell, and Jim N. Brown and Peggy of Rexford; two daughters, Patricia L. Stevens of Eureka, and Susan Reed and Michael of Kalispell, 16 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren. Visitation will be held from 1 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 10, at Austin Funeral Home in Whitefish. There will also be visitation from 11:30 a.m. until time of service at 1 p.m. on Friday at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Eureka, with Rev. Christopher Tabbert officiating. Burial will follow at Tobacco Valley Cemetery. Austin Funeral Home in Whitefish is assisting the family with arrangements.