Lawrence R. Brown, 85, passed away at 10:40 p.m. Aug. 2, 2009, at Kosciusko Community Hospital, Warsaw.
He was born Sept. 22, 1923, in Marion, to William and Nancy Mae Haley Brown. He was raised by his stepfather, Hickman Iholts. On Feb. 12, 1949, in Kosciusko County, he married Juanita Shepherd, who died March 12, 1977. On Oct. 30, 1982, in North Manchester, he married Flossie Dye, who survives.
He was a truck driver for D&C Construction, disabled in 1970; worked part time as caretaker at Glenn Terrace Apartments, Warsaw; and had been caretaker and maintenance at Eel River Apartments, North Manchester. He was a member of Bethel Baptist Church, Pierceton. He lived most of life in Kosciusko County. He entered the U.S. Army Feb. 17, 1943, at Perryville, Ohio; served in World War II with Battery C 156th Field Artillery Battalion; and PFC Lawrence R. Brown was honorably discharged Nov. 17, 1945, at Camp Fannin, Texas.
Also surviving are four daughters: Shirley Ann Gonzales, Piedmont, Ala; Diana Sue (and spouse Brett) Clossin, Pierceton; Parthena Shepherd, Wabash County; and Loretta Sue (and spouse Mike) Swick, Warsaw; three sons, Kenneth James (and spouse Peggy) Brown and Russell Wayne (and spouse Brenda) Brown, all of Warsaw, and Gary (and spouse Rose) Brown, Andrews; 24 grandchildren; 62 great-grandchildren; 23 great-great-grandchildren; a brother, William Iholts, North Manchester; and three sisters: Norma Jean "Peggy" (and spouse Allen) Berkes, Marcella Mae Howard, and Helen (and spouse James) Jones, all of Fort Wayne, and Florence (and spouse Earl) Brenner, Dunkirk. He was preceded in death by a son, Robert LeRoy Brown, who died in 1950; a daughter, Virginia Carol Prater, who died May 3, 2006; a stepson, Daniel Lee Marshall, who died May 11, 1977; two sisters, Florence Brenner and Catherine Norris; and two brothers, Everett Eugene Iholts and John Brown.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Bethel Baptist Church, Pierceton, with Pastor Jim Baughman of the church officiating. Burial will be in Swank Cemetery, North Manchester.
Calling is from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Titus Funeral Home, Warsaw.
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Memorials to Bethel Baptist Church, 1109 W. Market St., Pierceton, IN.
