Reverend Art Brown
1918-2014
Arthur (Art) Horace Brown was born on January 25, 1918 to Will and Louise Brown. He was the second child born in a family of 4 siblings, and the brother to his three sisters.
Art was born into a farming family, and grew up helping his father farm their rented acreage.
Art with his older sister Wilma Brown
After high school graduation, Art wanted to go on to college. However, when Art was 18, his father suffered a stroke and was ill in bed for the next couple of years before his death. Art had to put his college plans on hold to run the farm and help out at home. For 10 years he worked the farm, and helped locate a job in Ontario for his oldest sister at the county library. He also helped put his sister Bethel through nursing school, and his youngest sister Elna through seminary in Portland.
World War II was on, and the government had notified Art that he would be called up for service shortly. He made plans to sell the farm and found a small house in town for his mother and sister Wilma.
His sister Elna wrote him from Portland about a classmate she had become friends with and in February of 1946 Art took a trip to Portland to go see her and her friend Miriam Knowles.
He spent a week there, and then began to write to Miriam. The next summer Elna and Miriam spent some time in the Ontario area leading Vacation Bible Schools, and Art and Miriam became engaged. The farm sold and while Art was waiting on the government, Miriam suggested he enroll at Western Seminary as well. He did, and the government soon changed his classification from 1A to 4F, and he received a deferment. Art and Miriam were married on September 8th of that year and they both continued on with their studies. Three children later, Art managed to graduate in Pastoral Studies.
World War II was on, and the government had notified Art that he would be called up for service shortly. He made plans to sell the farm and found a small house in town for his mother and sister Wilma.
His sister Elna wrote him from Portland about a classmate she had become friends with and in February of 1946 Art took a trip to Portland to go see her and her friend Miriam Knowles.
He spent a week there, and then began to write to Miriam. The next summer Elna and Miriam spent some time in the Ontario area leading Vacation Bible Schools, and Art and Miriam became engaged. The farm sold and while Art was waiting on the government, Miriam suggested he enroll at Western Seminary as well. He did, and the government soon changed his classification from 1A to 4F, and he received a deferment. Art and Miriam were married on September 8th of that year and they both continued on with their studies. Three children later, Art managed to graduate in Pastoral Studies.
His first job as Pastor was at a Conservative Baptist Church in Scapoose, Oregon, where he was ordained as Reverend Art Brown.
Art maintained a close relationship with his widowed mother and 3 sisters.
Art went on to Pastor two more churches during his career in two small Oregon rural communities, Hermiston and Grass Valley, Oregon. Art and Miriam adopted a girl, Wendy, while living in Grass Valley so ended up with a total of one son and three daughters.
Art was a wonderful son and brother to his family, and they remained close all the days they lived. God has graciously blessed the Brown family with long lives, serving Him. Art's mother Louise lived to be 107 years old, and died in 2001. Art's older sister Wilma was a librarian in Ontario, Oregon and died last April at age 96. His younger sister Bethel was a nurse and is living in Burns, Oregon. His youngest sister Elna was a missionary in Taiwan for 32 years and is currently living in Salem, Oregon.
Art and Wilma
Art always remained a farmer at heart, planting and harvesting a large garden everywhere he lived. It was a wonderful hobby, relieving the burdens of being a Pastor. After retiring from Grass Valley, Art became the Pastor to seniors at Oak Grove Church for 12 years and moved to Rose Villa, a senior retirement community in Milwaukie, Oregon. Finally, in his last years he and Miriam became chaplains for Nursing Home Ministries, serving at the nursing home facility at Rose Villa. He remained active in this work, making his last visit as chaplain a week before his death last week at age 96.
In these last years of Art's life he and Miriam found a new friend in Chloe the dog. She went with Art as he made his rounds in the nursing facility, and was a great favorite with the residents. Art was active in serving God every day of his life, and was a wonderful example of a life well lived until the very end of his days on earth. What better thing could be said of a person, than to be faithful to God and to end well. Thank you Uncle Art!
