In loving Memory: my Grandpa Brown

 On Wednesday, my Grandpa Brown passed away.  He was one of the nicest people I've ever known.  He was so sweet!!  When you talked with him, he made you feel like the most important person in the world.  He was such a good listener.  He had such a fantastic sense of humor and always made everyone feel so welcome.  My Dad got so many of his kind and considerate traits from Grandpa.

Grandpa Brown graduated from the University of Utah in Chemistry. The first job he took was a high school Chemistry teacher.  He had just married my Grandma and they were a gorgeous pair.  A cute story that Grandma told me last time we visited was that when my Grandpa was introduced at the high school assembly, for the first time, as the new Chemistry teacher all the girls swooned.  The first day in his class, it was full of ALL girls!!! Ha ha ha!!!  He was so embarrassed by the attention.  Grandpa Brown was ALWAYS so kind!!! I never, ever heard Grandpa raise his voice.  My Dad told us stories growing up about how Grandpa Brown always chose to take the high road.

Shortly after he started teaching, he was recruited by the government to work on the top secret Nuclear Plant site at Hanford, in a tiny little government created town called Richland.  I was told growing up that back then the government loved to recruit LDS scientists because they really felt they could trust them.  My Grandpa Brown was no exception.  He kept the government secrets under tight wraps.  My dad tells stories of Grandpa going to work and my dad never knowing what Grandpa actually did there.  My Grandpa helped make some important discoveries related to turning nuclear fuel into energy.  I'll try to come back and edit this with the details, I'm a little fuzzy what exactly he did (like I would understand it anyway! :P )

The most important work he did was within his own family.  He and Grandma Brown raised six incredible children and taught them both in word and deed how to live the gospel and apply the teachings to their lives.  He was head over heels in love with my Grandma.  Whenever I saw them together, he was always taking special care to compliment her, watch out for her and speak kindly to her. 

I have memories of growing up and going over to Grandpa and Grandma's house to swim.  They had a swimming pool and Grandpa was amazing at keeping it sparkling clean!  He'd get home from work and get his pool kit.  I remember him sampling the water and testing it to make sure it was always pristine  for us.  Seems like such a small thing, but it was so special to me that he took the time to take such good care of the pool.  It was a wonderful way to express his love for us and to show us how happy he was to have us over.

While I was at BYU, my Grandparents served a couple mission to Guam, Micronesia.  They were incredibly loved by the missionaries there.  I remember being over at their house, even years after they got home and they were still getting phone calls and visits from the missionaries they served with.

They also served many years as temple workers in the American Fork, Mt. Timpanogos temple.  It was such an honor for Dan and I to get married in the same temple where they had devoted so many hours of service.  And added bonus is that they actually recommended our sealer, Brother Durrant, to us and we couldn't believe how inspired Brother Durrant's counsel was to us on our wedding day! I always credit that special memory to my Grandma and Grandpa Brown.  They were instrumental in our sealing!

I love Grandpa Brown very much!!! He has been such a guiding light in my life!  My cousins and I all agree that we couldn't have asked for a kinder, more generous Grandpa.  Grandma and Grandpa were always so supportive of us and made every effort to be at the milestones of our lives.  He led a quiet, private life full of good works that glorify our Father in Heaven.  He never did anything for recognition.  He did everything because he loved the Savior and his family.  I'm so grateful for him.  I hope I can live well enough to see him again someday!

Here's some great pictures that my Uncle Craig took of my Grandparents a couple of summers ago when they stopped in for a short visit on their way to the Oregon Coast.

Oh, how I miss him already!