Rodney Jay Brown

Rodney J. Brown, 1951-2017
Rod was born May 5, 1951 in Livingston, Montana to Don and Agnes Brown and passed away peacefully in his easy chair at home on January 2, 2017.   Rod attended first grade in Helmville, Montana, before moving back to Darby for grade school and high school, graduating in 1970. Rod was a natural athlete starring in football, basketball and track in school and baseball in the summer. After graduating, Rod married Carol Clark and had a beautiful daughter LuDon. Rod followed his passion driving a new V10 Kenworth for Louis Grover Trucking driving all over the west and many trips into Canada hauling lumber and steel, pretty heady stuff for a 19 year old young man. While his marriage didn't last, Rod settled back in Darby driving for various logging firms. During this time son Cory was born to Rod and Valerie Montesano. Also during this time Rod decided to start his own business.

Thus was born “Downtown Rod Brown Trucking”. As his friends know “Downtown” was added to the moniker after the business started showing a little success and he celebrated with his many friends. About this time, Rod married Julie Berry and two more wonderful kids joined the family Jackson and Dacota.  His kids remained the highlight of his life even though miles separated them in adulthood.

Rod also had a passion for anything outdoors, hunting, fishing, water skiing, snowmobiling and without a doubt his Harleys. He passed that passion along to his kids, nieces and nephews, starting many with their first bikes or sleds. A horse wreck a few years ago slowed some of the participation but didn’t dim the desire. His sports cars and old trucks were main attractions in Homecoming and Logger Day parades; carrying many queens and princesses to the halftime ceremonies. It was always a honor to take one of his cars to the high school dances. A big man with a big heart!

Rod was preceded in death by his grandparents Billy and Geneva Brown; birth mother Agnes and life companion Corie Nott.  He is survived by his father Don Brown and wife Peg; mother Irene Brown; sister, Dawn (Mike) Richie; brothers, Rocci, Randy, Reed (Kathy) and Ric (Candy). His four children:  LuDon (Kelly) Tartar (children Cody and Garrett), Cory Bergren (children Gunnar), Jackson (Lyndie) Brown (children Bryant, Carter, Jacee and Rivers),  Dacota (Andrew) Parduhn (children Colton, Ashlyn and Rya); nieces, Brandi, Reyel, Autumn and Skylar; nephews, Levi, Cole, Chance, Kcee, Jedd (Alex), Trystan, Cody and Benny; Corie Notts’s grandson Little Joe.

Regardless of your thoughts on how life should be lived. This spring as weather starts to warm and you hear the first throaty rumble of a Harley against the valley walls. Lift your eyes and smile, you may be one of the fortunate ones to see Downtown Rod Brown making his last ride. Hair blowing in the wind and the grin from ear to ear. A life lived on his own terms. There may never be another quite like him.   RIP ~Love Sis

A memorial Celebration will be held Sunday January 8th, 2017 at 2:00 PM at the Darby Club House, afterwards a Celebration of Life at the Dotson Bar in Darby, MT.