Richard Allen "Dick" Brown

July 27, 1921 - May 14, 2014

Richard Allen "Dick" Brown Obituary (Age 92) Passed away May 14, 2014. Dick was born in Wichita, Kansas on July 27, 1921, to Reverand Daniel W. Brown and Edith (McEldowney) Brown. He graduated from Fort Benton High School, where he met and married Agnes Jenkinson, his childhood sweet heart, on July 19, 1942, in Fort Benton, Montana. After 56 years of marriage, Agnes preceded him in death. He married Loretta March Brown in 1999. He was warmly welcomed by Loretta?s children, Bruce Bergdahl (Patty), James Bergdahl (Glada), and Richard Bergdahl (Nanette). Dick served in the US Army during WWII, Ozark Division, Headquarters Company, 102nd Infantry Division in the European theater with Eisenhower?s troops which eventually opened up Nazi concentration camps, as he was in Germany when the war ended. He graduated from Montana State University in Civil Engineering after the war, on the GI bill. They lived in married student housing with a coal fired wood stove. He worked as a salesmen for Armco Steel in Helena, Montana, later moving to Spokane. He retired from H. Halvorson Construction Company in Spokane after 30 years, as a V. President, Project Manager, and Estimator. He bid and built numerous buildings around the Northwest, Midwest, and Alaska. Dick spent many late nights at the kitchen table estimating/taking off a new project, to be awarded the next day. He loved music, singing with his barbershop quartets, the El Katif Shrine Chanters choir, the Opportunity Christian Church, which he built, Manito Presbyterian Church, for which he managed a significant remodel, the Fort Benton First Christian Church that was his father?s mission, built as its minister. He loved licorice ice cream from his brother Daryl?s ice cream shop, occasional cigars, big band dancing, water sports, family camping at Lo Lo Pass, Powell Ranger Station, winter ice curling, the family boat/Bobbi Liz, fishing at Twin Lakes with Loretta, fishing at Loon Lake with his grandkids, keeping his lawn perfectly cut, tight vocal harmonies, low bass singers, golf, and his dogs, Peggy, Jigs, Oscar and Andy. Richard leaves behind his sister, Alice Swindall of Eugene, Oregon; sons Bruce (Lilia) Brown of Chula Vista, California, Daniel (Jean) Brown of Vashon Island and daughter Barbara (Jay) Monti of Olympia. He has three grandchildren Damian Alhadeff, Seattle; Joshua Monti, Olympia; and Jaime Monti McKissick, Oklahoma and seven great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his brother Darrel Brown of Spokane. A family graveside memorial service will be held in Spokane.