Leonard Brown

Leonard Wayne Brown was born December 16, 1935 to Lloyd G. Hill and Esther Ball near Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He always had a love of horses and as a teenager he toured the rodeo circuit as a trick rider. Next he found work on a farm in Indiana and then decided to join the United States Army as soon as he was old enough. Though born a Canadian he became a United States citizen while in the Army, attended Basic Training in Arkansas, and was later assigned to the Panama Canal Zone at Fort Amador and Fort Clayton. In Panama he met and married his wife of 54 years, Judith Esther Argote. He next had assignments to Fort Riley, Kansas where son Leonard Jr was born, then to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri where daughter Linda, and son David were born. A career soldier, his overseas assignments included Panama, France, Korea, Vietnam, and Germany. He was a decorated combat veteran during the Vietnam War earning a Bronze Star. He rose through the ranks and retired as a Master Sergeant in 1974 after a successful 20 year career. His awards include National Defense Service Medal w/1st Oak Leaf Cluster; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; Vietnam Service Medal w/4 Bronze Service Stars; Vietnam Campaign Medal w/60 Device; Army Commendation Medal w/1st Oak Leaf Cluster; Bronze Star Medal; Drill Sergeant Identification Badge; 2 Overseas Bars; Good Conduct Medal w/1st thru 6th Award. Upon his retirement from the Army, he tried several careers until he found his niche as Maintenance Manager at the U.S. Olympic Training Center (USOTC) in Colorado Springs for 13 years. Ever the friendly and caring soul, he delighted in interacting with athletes of many types; but his most favorite times at the USOTC involved working with “his shooters” in the rifle training building. They in turn enjoyed talking with a decorated expert rifle marksman. His love of horses played a central theme in his life from rodeo as a teenager, raising horses in Missouri and Colorado, working with all three of his children as they competed in gymkhanas and 4H, delighting crowds at Apple Day in Penrose with his matched pony teams pulling a small covered wagon, and caring for his “pets” after his second retirement from the USOTC. Animals responded to his gentle nature and enabled him to use knowledge learned from his time as a veterinarian assistant to care for the many farm animals he and his children raised over the years. After a devastating stroke in 2007, Leonard’s activities became very limited, but despite these challenges he would let everyone know that the kind, caring, and funny man was still inside. Whether winking at his visitors, playing catch, dancing his shoulder to the country music, or raising his eyebrow to confirm that “yes he would like some dessert” his positive outlook held strong. He died at age 76 while receiving care at a Canon City nursing home on July 21st, 2012, holding the hand of his beloved Judith. He was a wonderful brother, husband, Father, grandfather, and great grandfather. He will be dearly missed by all those who were blessed enough to know such a kind and loving man. Besides his wife Judith, Leonard leaves one daughter Dr. Linda Brown-Manion (Greg) of Anacortes, WA; two sons, Leonard Brown Jr. (Debra) of Coupeville, WA; David Brown (Maria) of Marion, IA; his sisters Martha Hill, Emilie Hill-Macaulay, and Irene Hill-Armes of Ontario, Canada; his brothers Alan Hill of Ontario, Canada, Jim McGee of British Columbia, Canada, and Eric McGee of Alberta, Canada; 7 grandchildren Rebecca, Andrea, Jennifer, Benjamin, Daniel, Garrett, and Lucas and 3 great-grandchildren Brynlie, Ethan, and Addison. In death, he joins his brothers Emerson McGee and Clifford McGee. Military Honors Memorial service will be held August 01, 2012, at l0am at Veterans War Memorial in Fremont County.