CMS Wayne K. Brown, Ret.

Wayne K. Brown, 91, of rural Nevada, Mo., died on June 15, 2015, at his home in rural Nevada.

He and his twin brother, Glen K. Brown, were born Sept. 29, 1923, in Carleton, Neb., to Isaac Newton Brown and Suzie Marie Brown.

Wayne was preceded in death by his mother; father; three sisters; and both brothers. He lived with his only surviving daughter, Brenda Golden, from 2009 until the date of his death, with a brief stay in 2014 at the Barone Alzheimer's Care Center.

Wayne K. Brown graduated from Walker High School in 1940, and joined the Civilian Conservation Corp. In 1943, during World War II, he was called to serve in the Army-Air Corps. He was discharged after World War II, then enlisted in the Air Force, at first as instructor in crypto maintenance. He was one of two crypto personnel at that time to have the highest rating for classified material. He re-enlisted several times, serving in the U.S. Armed Forces a total of nearly 31 years, reaching the rank of Chief Master Sergeant. During his military service, Wayne Brown was stationed at several state-side bases and in Iceland, Japan, Newfoundland, and Vietnam.

During those years he received 13 service awards: the Bronze Star (September 1970) for meritorious service; Air Force Good Conduct Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters; Army Good Conduct Medal with one silver loop; American Campaign Medal; European-African-Middle East Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal; National Defense Service Medal with one bronze star; Vietnam Service Medal with three bronze stars; Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with one silver and one bronze oak leaf cluster; Small Arms Expert Markmanship Medal; Meritorious Service Medal (1974); Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal; and Armed Forces Honor Medal second class (foreign award) from the Republic of Vietnam.

Wayne K. Brown married Ina Arlene Kircher, of Nevada, Mo., on Feb. 23, 1946, who preceded him in death in 1982. There were three children born to them: Linda Marie Brown Gremminger (died 2000); Erik Eugene Brown (died 2005); and Brenda I. Golden.

After retiring in 1974, Mr. Brown worked occasionally as substitute secretary for a Nevada attorney, and as secretary and/or temporary director of the Vernon County Day Care Center. He was a charter board member of the Vernon County Developmental Center from 1976 until its dissolution nearly 15 years later.

He donated monthly to Wycliffe Bible Translators for more than 29 years and traveled to Indonesia three times. He also donated monthly to a teaching missionary in Russia.

Mr. Brown had a lifelong love of music. His favorite genres were sacred and classical. He sang in church choirs wherever he went, and sang for several years in Nevada Community Singers. He was sometimes choir director of his local church. He sang in both the Praise Choir and Glory Choir of First Baptist Church, until late in his 70s, and continued singing in the Glory Choir into his 80s.

Wayne K. Bruce is survived by one daughter and her husband, Brenda L. Golden (Gene) of Nevada; seven grandchildren, James and Amber Golden, Christi Young, Michael, Douglas, and Kevin Gremminger, and Patricia Gremminger Voigt; five stepgrandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; several great-great-grandchildren; several nephews and nieces; and many great- and great-great-nephews and nieces.

Family visitation will be at 1:30 p.m., Thursday, June 18, at First Baptist Church, Nevada, with services to follow there. Interment is at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, east of Nevada. The family requests no flowers or plants, but donations may be made in his memory to C.C.P.A. of Nevada, Mo., to Interlink Ministries Inc., or to Wycliffe Bible Translators.