Richard Irwin Brown

Richard Dick Irwin Brown, 92, passed away in Bellingham, WA on October 30, 2009, after a brief illness. Dick was born on June 9, 1917, in St. Louis, MO, to the late Leta and John Brown. Following graduation from Pittsfield, IL High School in 1935, he joined the U.S. Navy, trained as carpenters mate and served with the Asiatic Fleet in China for several years. He married Karla Ruth Kelly in 1940 and was stationed aboard the destroyer tender USS Blackhawk in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. His military experiences left an indelible mark on him and he maintained close ties to those with whom he had served. Following military service, Dick and Karla moved to Edmonds, WA. He worked for the U.S. Navy at the Sand Point Naval Air Station and the U.S. Coast Guard Base in Seattle, and retired as a carpentry shop foreman in 1966. He was part owner of Reliable Floor Coverings, in Edmonds, WA and retired again in 1985. He was a life member of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association and the American Legion, and a member of the Tin Can Sailors Association and the South China - Yangtze River Asiatic Fleet Association.Dick had many interests but bowling and baseball were his favorite. As a child, he was a member of the original Cardinal Knot Hole Gang in St. Louis and was an avid baseball fan all his life.Dick is survived by his wife of 69 years, Karla; daughters Judy Lindsey, Bothell, WA, and Beverly (Arthur) Cummings, Lynden, WA; granddaughters Robin Lindsey, Heather Lindsey, Heidi (David) Tucker, and Michelle (Joe) Pauly; two great-grandsons, and many members of his extended family.A Memorial service with military honors will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, November 14, 2009 at Becks Funeral Home, 405 5th Ave. S., Edmonds, WA; 425-771-1234.Memorial donations may be made to the Edmonds Museum, P.O. Box 52, Edmonds, WA, 98020, or the Pacific Little League, P.O. Box 231, Lynnwood, WA, 98046.