Obituary of Michael Eugene Brown

IN LOVING MEMORY OF MICHAEL "ROPE" BROWN Michael Eugene Brown, 71, of Lenora, KS passed away on May 4, 2019 at his home. Michael was born to Ray E and Doris J (McKay) Brown on August 6, 1947 in Lincoln, NE. He grew up & went to school in Hastings, NE while also helping at the family business, Papa Ray's Pizza. Michael entered the Navy (a family tradition) on August 28, 1964. He served on the USS Galveston from 1964-1970 touring in the Mediterranean. On November 26, 1967 he married Dellene E. VanWaning in Fairbury, NE. They lived in San Diego, CA until Mike was honorably discharged from the Navy. They moved to Hastings and soon became proud parents of Kelly Kay and Scott Alan Brown. Mike loved the outdoors and spent his time camping, hunting & fishing. The UPS man was Mikes' favorite guy for many years, along with the employees at Cabelas who knew him when he walked in the door! He never lost his love for the outdoors; he taught his children and grandchildren how to hunt and fish, but also how to respect the land and water. He was also an avid birdwatcher, a trait he got from his mother, right up to the end. His greatest loves were his wife, Dellene, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He would always have decoys or lures to give or "trade" with them when he visited. While his children were young, he was involved in their sports and he never missed a game or meet. He had many friends that he met along the way; the duck call guy that built calls for him, the guys that he bought his vehicles from; they all remembered him because of his ostentatious personality. You always knew when he entered a room from his booming voice and choice of words! He also liked to buy, sell and trade his hunting and fishing equipment so you never knew what he would have. His children called his place "Mike Pro" and for good reason! The garage was the hunting section, the laundry room was the clothing section; inside were the duck and turkey call section, the fly section, fishing section and on and on! He once had enough headlamps for all the little kids in the family to play hide and seek in the dark! Mike worked for Rural Telephone for many years and retired in 2013. While there, he gained life-long friends who were always included in his stories that he liked to tell. Mike also made friends with the kids in his town, often sitting around the fire telling them hunting or fishing stories and teaching them how to blow on a duck call. He is survived by his father, Ray Brown, Hastings, NE; sister, Linda Andersen of Gladstone, MO; brother, David Brown of Hastings, NE; daughter, Kelly (James Fawcett) Norton; son, Scott (Kimberly) Neodesha, KS; 10 grandchildren, Sheyenne and Sheridan Dillehay, Kayla (Kyle) Wingate, Gabriella Guardiola and fiancé Blake Wensman, Megan Norwood, Matthew and Bailey Brown, Michael, Alyssa and Matthew Fawcett; and 5 great-grandchildren, Lincoln, Kinsley, Ruger, Deklan and Rosy. He was preceded in death by his mother, Doris Brown; wife, Dellene Austerman and infant grandson, Zachary Brown. Memorial service will be Friday, May 10, 2019 at 11:00 AM at the Jennings Senior Center in Jennings, Kansas. A private inurnment for the family will be held at a later date. The family requests you bring your favorite dish for a potluck to celebrate Rope's life with his friends and family. Memorials are suggested to the Mike Brown Memorial Fund to help with funeral expenses.