Nettie Mae Brown

NETTIE MAE BROWN
1930-2010

Corvallis - With her children at her side Nettie Brown of Corvallis left us to be with her Heavenly Father Tuesday, March 9th at Marcus Daly Hospice. She was 79.
Mom was born Nettie Mae Cooley to John Winston and Hilda Elizabeth Cooley in Butte, Montana on April 20, 1930. The family lived in Butte for a short time then later moved to Grantsville, Utah where she finished her schooling. She met and married the love of her life, Quentin Brown and together with Quentin's brother Jack and sister-in-law Donna; they ran a large dairy and Hereford cattle ranch. No one knows how many sheep and hogs they also raised.
They packed up the kids, the Herefords and a few horses and moved to the Bitter Root in July of 1962. They ran a large ranch east of Corvallis raising beef cattle, sheep, hogs and kids. They were very active members of the church and the community. After retirement in 1987 they sold the ranch and moved to town.
Mom was a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and held many positions her entire life. She especially loved to lead the choir and decorate for special functions at the church. She was involved in many community events and some of her favorites were the Community Christmas Celebration and the Memorial Day Parade. Mom and Dad were honored for their years of community service by serving as the Grand Marshals of the Ravalli County Fair parade.
Mom loved to garden, raise baby chickens and feed baby lambs. She enjoyed taking lunch out to dad in the hay field. She was an excellent cook and fixed countless meals for the large hay crews they hired. Mom and dad loved getting together with their friends and playing a mean game of dirty rummy.
After dad passed away in 1993 she remained active in the church and community as long as her illness would allow her. Reading became her passion. She especially loved reading the Ensign and Louis L'Amour. Diabetes eventually robbed her of most of her eyesight so she watched western movies, John Wayne being her favorite.
Mom served on a LDS Mission to Arizona in 1994 which was a wonderful experience for her.
Besides the many church positions she held, she was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, the Stockgrowers Association, Corvallis Women's Club, Wool Growers Association, Farm Bureau, Canasta Club and the Corvallis Civic Club. Among her many other accomplishments, she was very proud of the hand she played in planting trees on Main Street in Corvallis.
Mom was preceded in death by her loving husband Quentin, her parents, a sister Nancy, twin brothers Douglas and Donald, her favorite aunt, "Auntie", and some very special friends.
She is survived by her brother, Jim (Roberta) Cooley of Corvallis, four daughters: Becky (Jim) Hughes of Portland OR, Christine Toshoff, Merlynn (Cal) McOmber and Tana Brown all of Corvallis. Three sons: Phil (Kathy) Brown of Shelby, MT, Butch (Jamie) Brown of Centerville, UT, and Doug Brown of Corvallis. Also surviving are nineteen grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, Sister-in-law Rachel Smith and brother and sister-in-law, Jack and Donna Brown. And, of course, her many dear friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to the Nettie Brown Memorial Fund, c/o Daly-Leach Chapel, 1010 W. Main St., Hamilton, MT 59840.