Barbara Louise (Lewis) Brown, age 84, passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 24th, 2026. Barbara was born in Fort Scott, Kansas on October 11, 1941, to Boyd and Lorraine Lewis. She grew up in Concordia, Kansas and graduated from Concordia High School in 1959 and attended Kansas State University, where she graduated with a degree in Business in 1963. She began her professional career at Hallmark Cards, where she met and trained her future husband of nearly 60 years, Phil. They married in 1966 and soon after moved to Overland Park, Kansas, where they raised their children Erin and Craig Brown. In addition to being a dedicated stay at home mother, Barbara had a passion for genealogy and volunteer work.
Barbara volunteered for the National Archives in Kansas City for 25 years. She was a member of and volunteer for the Johnson County Genealogical Society and volunteered at the Johonson County Library genealogy desk helping others, as well as volunteering at the Midwest Genealogy Center at the Mid-Continent Public Library. She was also an active member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. As her children grew older, Barbara went back to work for the Shawnee Mission school district in Library Services.
More than anything, Barbara will be remembered for her smile and her giggle. To the very end in her battle with dementia, her care staff would comment that her smile and giggle were always present.
Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, Boyd and Lorraine Lewis and her sister Sherri Smith. She is survived by her husband Phil Brown, her children Erin Brown and Craig Brown (Becky), her grandchildren Amelia Brown and Isabella Brown, as well as her brother Kenneth Lewis (LeAnne) and her sister Patricia Lewis Veesart (John). She is also survived by her nieces and nephews, Pamela Leaf (James), Douglas Brown (Domino), Jeff Brown (Missy), Ryan Veesart (Sara), and Laurel Veesart Frey (Andrew), and grand-nephew, Corbin Veesart.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Barbara’s memory to Kansas City Hospice (kchospice.org) or the Kansas State University Foundation (ksufoundation.org).
Barbara volunteered for the National Archives in Kansas City for 25 years. She was a member of and volunteer for the Johnson County Genealogical Society and volunteered at the Johonson County Library genealogy desk helping others, as well as volunteering at the Midwest Genealogy Center at the Mid-Continent Public Library. She was also an active member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. As her children grew older, Barbara went back to work for the Shawnee Mission school district in Library Services.
More than anything, Barbara will be remembered for her smile and her giggle. To the very end in her battle with dementia, her care staff would comment that her smile and giggle were always present.
Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, Boyd and Lorraine Lewis and her sister Sherri Smith. She is survived by her husband Phil Brown, her children Erin Brown and Craig Brown (Becky), her grandchildren Amelia Brown and Isabella Brown, as well as her brother Kenneth Lewis (LeAnne) and her sister Patricia Lewis Veesart (John). She is also survived by her nieces and nephews, Pamela Leaf (James), Douglas Brown (Domino), Jeff Brown (Missy), Ryan Veesart (Sara), and Laurel Veesart Frey (Andrew), and grand-nephew, Corbin Veesart.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Barbara’s memory to Kansas City Hospice (kchospice.org) or the Kansas State University Foundation (ksufoundation.org).
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Barbara Louise Brown, please visit our flower store.
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