Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Monday, May 1, at the Arlington Auditorium. Interment will be at the Arlington Cemetery with military honors provided by members of the American Legion Post 71 and VFW Post 8332, both of Arlington.

LeRoy C. "Brownie" Brown was born June 22, 1920, in Arlington to Lloyd and Odessa (Svendgard) Brown. He lived most of his life in Arlington, and was a 1937 graduate of Arlington High School. He attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln for two years.

He served in the United States Army Air Force from Jan. 4, 1943, until July 3, 1945, and was a B-17 pilot. He flew 50 missions over Europe, including missions over France, Italy, Greece, Sicily and Germany. He held the rank of Captain, and received four Bronze Battle Stars, the Air Medal and nine Oak Leaf clusters.

In 1946, Mr. Brown and Ray Pfeifer started their business, which became Bell Creek Inc. in 1952, and hauled livestock.

He lived in Fremont from 1987 to 1998 and then returned to Arlington. For the past 19 years, he spent his winters in Phoenix, Ariz.

He was a member since 1952 of the Nebraska Motor Carriers and served as president in 1977; he received the "Golden Deeds" award in 1984.

He was a member of Arlington Community Church; served on the Arlington School Board for several years; was a charter member of the Arlington Education Foundation and was inducted into the AEF Hall of Fame in June 1994; and was a former Cub Scout leader.

He was a member of American Legion Post 71 of Arlington since 1945, and was a past commander; a member of the VFW Post 8332 of Arlington; member of 40 & 8 Voiture 1018 of Fremont; was a member since 1947 of the Hiram Masonic Lodge No. 52, A/F/ & A.M. of Arlington, was a past master in 1954, and was recipient of the Jordan Medal.

He was also a member of the Fremont Shrine Club, the Omaha Tangier Shrine and Jesters member since 1964.

On April 26, 1944, he married Frances H. "Franny" Johnson at Santa Monica, Calif. She survives him, as do three sons and daughters-in-law, Terry and Patricia Brown of Garden City, Kan., Thomas Brown, and Timothy and Vanessa Brown, all of Arlington; two brothers and a sister-in-law, Donald Brown of Boca Raton, Fla., and Robert and Fern Brown of Arlington; sisters, Eunice Arthur of Fremont; seven grandchildren; two step-grandchildren and two step-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Ronald.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.

Reckmeyer-Moser Funeral Home of Arlington is in charge of arrangements. #2-Published in Omaha World Herald on 28 April 2006

Brown, LeRoy C., "Brownie", 85 years of Arlington, NE. Died April 19, 2006 at Surprise, AZ. Longtime Arlington businessman and WWII B-17 pilot of 50 missions over Europe. Survived by wife, Franny; sons, Terry (Pat) Brown, of Garden City, KS, Tom Brown and Tim (Vanessa) Brown; brothers, Bob (Fern) Brown, all of Arlington, and Don Brown of Boca Raton, FL; sister, Eunice Arthur of Fremont; 9 grandchildren; and 4 great-grandchildren.

Memorial Service 10 AM Monday, at Arlington Auditorium, with Masonic Services to follow. Burial Arlington Cemetery with full military honors. There is no visitation. Memorials in lieu of flowers suggested to Arlington Community Church, Arlington Community Fund or family choice.

RECKMEYER-MOSER FUNERAL HOME Arlington, NE 402-721-4490 ~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~

Find a Grave Memorial # 44814390