Alan V. Brown, 72, of Chester, passed away on Monday, April 30, 2018 at the Sanford Heart Hospital in Sioux Falls. His Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 5, 2018 in St. Joseph the Workman Catholic Church at Huntimer. Visitation with the family present from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. on Friday, May 4, 2018 in the church. A rosary will follow. Interment is in the St. Joseph Cemetery.
Alan Vern Brown was born on February 22, 1946 at Madison, SD, the son of Vern and Ruth (Klassy) Brown. He grew up north of Madison and attended Downs Country School through the fifth grade before he moved with his family to a farm near Wentworth. Alan attended Chester Area School and graduated in 1964. After high school, he enlisted in the Army National Guard. He married Rita Klamm on June 1, 1968 at St. Joseph the Workman Catholic Church at Huntimer. They settled in the Chester area before moving to the farm in 1979. In 1992, the couple moved into their home in Chester.
Throughout his life, Alan worked for Lidel Construction, the Baltic Elevator, Gullickson and Dearduff Automotive, The Chester Farm Service, and Chester Hardware. In 1979, Alan started farming with his dad, Vern, until Vern passed away in 2010. Since then, Alan had farmed full-time while also doing custom farm work.
Alan was a member of St. Joseph the Workman Catholic Church in rural Colton, SD.
His passion in life was his wife of nearly 50 years, his daughters, and farming. He will be remembered for his love of a competitive card game, his big, welcoming smile, which helped him make friends with anyone, and his bias for John Deere Green. Alan was a true kid at heart, he adored his grandchildren and was often found playing hide-n-seek or schooling them in a good old game of thirty-one. He thoroughly enjoyed traveling with Rita to their grandchildren’s sporting events and activities, and rarely missed an event. Alan loved people, enjoyed talking about farming, and meeting his friends for breakfast and morning coffee; which was often followed by lunch.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Alan is survived by his wife, Rita of Chester; his daughters, MeLisa (James) Elijah of Lake Sinai and Shelly (Jon) Bacon of Lyons, NE; his four grandchildren, Haley Jo (Heath) Bacon, Aaron Elijah, Lexie Bacon, and Caleb Elijah; his brothers, Ivan (Sue) Brown of Yuma, AZ and Lynn (Charlotte) Brown of Sioux Falls; his sister, Jeannie Brown of Worthing, his extended family, and many, many friends.