- Date Of Birth: October 5, 1943
- Date Of Death: December 10, 2021
- State: Utah
Our dear husband, brother, father, grandfather, uncle, cousin, and friend passed away 10 December 2021 surrounded by his wife and children in the home that he lived in for the last 48 years.
Nelson Marion Brown Jr. was born 5 October 1943 in Jacksonville, Florida to Nelson Marion Brown Sr. and Minerva Maxine DeWitt. He was the oldest of three sons. In his youth, he moved to many places across the United States during his father’s service in the military. His father was killed in Action during the Korean War while he was living in California. As the family was moving back to Florida shortly after his death, Nelson’s mother was seriously injured in an auto accident in Louisiana and he and his brothers were flown to Florida to be placed with relatives while their mother recovered from her injuries.
Nelson graduated from Ribault High School in 1962. He joined the US Army shortly after and was stationed at Fort Gordon, Georgia. It was during this time while serving in the Army that he sought to know more about Jesus Christ and His gospel. He later found it when two missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints contacted him while he was on leave in Jacksonville. He was baptized in August of 1963, and he became a missionary for the Church from 1966 to 1968 serving in the Central British Mission.
Upon completing his military service in 1970, he embarked on a career in railroading which took him from Jacksonville, Florida to Rock Island, Illinois, and later to Salt Lake City, Utah. It was while he was working in Salt Lake City that he met his eternal companion, Cecilia Redd. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on 26 March 1973. He took up employment with the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad in Ogden, Utah. He bought his home in Washington Terrace and lived there continuously in the same home until his passing.
Later on, Nelson transitioned to being a stay-at-home dad while his wife entered the workforce. He would take his children on frequent visits to Ogden Valley to cool off in the South Fork of the Ogden River and to use the pool at the Stake Camp near Nordic Valley Ski Resort. He also loved to visit his in-laws in Blanding, Utah and go on sightseeing trips in the surrounding area.
He was a faithful church member of the Washington Terrace 4th Ward. He served in many capacities but served chiefly as Ward Clerk to two bishoprics and later as Assistant Stake Clerk. He was also a faithful home teacher who rarely missed a monthly visit until his health prevented him in later years.
He is survived by his wife of 48 years Cecilia Redd Brown and by his seven children and their spouses: Rachel (Robert) Grindstaff, Judith (Paul) White, Tom (Leslie) Brown, James (Jonni) Brown, Seth (Sara) Brown, Anna (Tim) Elmer, and Leah Brown, He is also survived by 27 grandchildren, 1 great grandchild and his two brothers and spouse; Stephen (Cheryl) Brown and Robert Brown. He also leaves many nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, and friends. He is preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, and several cousins, uncles, and aunts.
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