Cecil Von Brown

Prayer Service: Sunday, August 20, 2006 at 5:00 p.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City

Funeral Service: Monday, August 21, 2006 at 3:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Miles City

Interment: Knowlton Cemetery

Cecil Von Brown, age 84, of Miles City passed away on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 at the Holy Rosary Hospital in Miles City.

Cecil was born on November 29, 1920 in Mahaska, Kansas, the sixth of seven children born to William and Bertha Hamilton Brown. When Cecil was 5 years old the family moved to a farm near Pompeys Pillar where Cecil grew up. He attended elementary school at Pompeys Pillar, and went to high school at Huntley Project where he played football and basketball and was student body president his senior year. After graduation, Mr. Brown worked for his father on the farm, and for other farms and ranches in the area. He married Ruth Woodruff on December 23, 1947 and went to work for her father on the ranch in the Knowlton Hills near Ismay, Montana. Mr. Woodruff moved to Miles City shortly thereafter and Cecil took over the operation of the ranch that was his life work and passion. He loved the ranch and expanded it, and took great pride in his cattle and crops. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge, joining in Worden, Montana, belonging many years to the Ismay Lodge, and later the Miles City Lodge. He was also a member of the Albedoo Shrine, Ismay Community Church and First Baptist Church in Miles City, Custer County Farm Bureau, Montana Stockgrowers, and R-Calf. He served for many years on the Knowlton School board and the Miles City Unified School Board. From 1971 1972, he was the president of the Montana School Boards Association, as a part of his efforts to protect rural schools in local communities.

In 1985, Cecil began semi-retirement and the Browns were able to do some traveling. They also spent 17 winters volunteering on the Wycliffe Bible Translators Center in Tucson, Arizona. In June, 2001, they bought a house in Miles City and moved to town.

Survivors include his wife, Ruth of Miles City; four daughters, Lavonne (Mark) Forman of Ismay, Montana and children Levi, Luke, and Lona; Linda (Clyde) Turner of Billings and sons Jason (Lisa), Jesse, and Jake; Jane Logan of Miles City and children Alicia, Tessa, and Clay; and Jill (Frank) Witt of Billings and their daughters Shawnee and Savannah, two great-grandchildren Abigail and Andrew Turner, one brother, Marvin of Billings, and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one grandson, Tucker Ray Logan, four brothers, Fred, Ray, Ralph, and John, and his sister, Vera.

Prayer service will be held will be held on Sunday, August 20, 2006 at 5:00 p.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Funeral services will be held on Monday, August 21, 2006 at 3:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Miles City. Interment will follow in the Knowlton Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.stevensonandsons.com. Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the charity of one’s choice.