We mourn the death of our cousin, and Beverly Brown Rolfsrud's nephew, Don Brown.
Colonel Donald Paul Brown, United States Army Reserve Retired of Smithsburg, Maryland passed away peacefully on January 31, 2008 in Hagerstown, Maryland.
Colonel Brown was born May 3, 1938 in Belle Fourche, South Dakota to Ralph David Brown and Alma Larson Brown. A graduate of Belle Fourche High School and South Dakota State University, with a BS in Economics, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army on March 17, 1961.
Colonel Brown served our nation proudly in Nancy, France; Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; South East Asia; Fort Lee, Virginia; Fort Ord and Camp Roberts, California; Sharpe Army Depot, California; HG USAREUR,Heidelberg, Germany; Fort Meade, Maryland; Carlisle Barracks, Carlisle Pennsylvania and Fort Detrick, Maryland retiring in May of 1999 to Smithsburg, Maryland. During his career he also served many temporary assignments including Fort McPherson, Georgia; Stuttgart and Munich, Germany.
During his distinguished career as a US Army Officer, Department of The Army Civil Service employee and US Army Reserve Officer, Colonel Brown received the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, The National Defense Service Medal, The Vietnam Service Medal, The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and The Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, and The Department of The Army Civilian Service Award. Colonel Brown was also a graduate of The US Army War College, and The Professional Military Comptroller School.
Left behind to cherish his memory are his spouse of over 46 years Gladys Atkins Brown of Smithsburg, Maryland, Martin and Kellie Brown of Smithsburg, and Michael and Linda Brown of Asheville, North Carolina. Surviving grandchildren of Colonel Brown are Alexander Larson Brown, Connor Robert Brown, Harrison Daniel Brown, of Smithsburg, Decker Basil Brown and Nash Michael Brown of Asheville. Colonel Brown is also survived by his sisters Phyllis Poignee of Rapid City, South Dakota and Joyce and George Schulte of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Over thirty nieces and nephews from the Brown and Atkins’ families are left with indelible memories of “Uncle Don”.
A celebration of Don’s life will be held on Monday February 4, 2008 at 11:00AM at Trinity Lutheran Church in Smithsburg. Interment, with full military honors, will be in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.
The family requests, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to: The Boy Scouts Of America, Mason Dixon Council, 18600 Crestwood Drive, Hagerstown , MD 21742 ; Trinity Lutheran Church, PO Box 217, Smithsburg, MD 21783 and The American Heart Association, 4217 Park Place Court, Glen Allen, VA, 23060.
