Barbara R Brown

Barbara Rose Brown, 93, of Matheson, Colorado, went to be her Lord and Savior on December 22, 2025 in Limon, Colorado. Barbara was born on April 24, 1932, to Thomas Newton & Gladys Maude (Brown) Cornthwaite in Mineola, Kansas. Barbara was the youngest of three children. At 5 years old, her family moved to Sun City, Kansas. She remained there until the family moved to Mulvane, Kansas and Barbara started 3rd Grade. It was here that she met the love of her life Vernon Max Brown. They married in 1952. During her school years she worked at the local drugstore serving ice cream desserts and floats. She was a drummer & cheerleader in high school. She was a singer and sang in church, school, and other functions such as weddings. Barbara gave her heart to Jesus at age 12 at local Methodist Church. She attended church regularly and encouraged others to do the same.

After high school, she worked several jobs eventually landing a job at Boeing Airplane in Wichita, where she worked in the badge room. She continued to live at home and while working there. On May 12, 1952, Barbara married Max Brown. At the time Max was a Marine and right after the wedding, he was assigned to Kaneohe Marine Air Base in Kailua, Hawaii. After 4 months, Barbara decided to quit her job and join Max. She boarded a cruise ship and joined him there. They spent the next two years in Hawaii as young newlyweds. After Max’s military service ended, the couple returned to Mulvane, Kansas where Barbara was able to get her old job back at Boeing. She and Max lived for a while in Mulvane, Kansas, then eventually moved to Derby, Kansas and lived with her parents. The couple purchased some farm land in Matheson, Colorado in 1956. Barbara continued to work while Max traveled (“suitcase’d”) between both locations to farm the land. Eventually Max landed a job at Martin Marietta in Waterton Canyon in south Denver area so the couple relocated there purchasing a home in Englewood, Colorado. This is where she raised her family. The couple was blessed with three children, Timothy Max, Thomas John, & Alicia Rose. The family spent their summers working on the farm while maintaining the Englewood residence where the children went to school. Barbara was very involved in the farm. While Max had to work at Martin Marietta, she and the family stayed on the farm driving tractors, raising chickens, and gardening. She loved to preserve especially green beans. Nightly ritual was to pick beans and then snap them all after a long day on the tractor. She was a hard worker.

After Max’s retirement from Martin Marietta, the couple moved to the farm full time. They spent summers farming, and in the winter, they enjoyed trips in their motorhome going to places such as TX, FL, and AZ. They made these trips for close to 20 years until their health declined.

In 2015, Max passed away and Barbara continued to live on the farm. Seeing she needed a change; Barbara moved into assisted living at MorningStar in Littleton. After a fall that resulted in a broken hip, she decided to move closer to home and moved into Aspen Leaf Assisted Living in Limon. She was there for 5 years.

Barbara was active in Lincoln County Farm Bureau activities serving for 21 years. She was very busy at the Lincoln County Fair each year serving hamburgers, corn dogs, and yakitori chicken on a stick. She really enjoyed it. Barbara was active in Church while in Englewood. She was a member of Riverside Baptist Church. She sang in an all-women’s ensemble called “New Hope Singers”. She also sang in the choir there, and served her Lord there for many years.

After the move to the farm, she attended Central Bible Church of Matheson and Hi-Plains Baptist Church of Limon. Her love for the Lord and her desire for others to know Jesus was one of the most important parts of her life. She was active helping with Vacation Bible School serving snacks and helping with games. She really enjoyed the children. Barbara was especially fond of infant babies.

While at Aspen Leaf, Barbara broke the other hip, had a collapsed intestine, and had a pacemaker placed. All while she was 90+ years of age. She never let that stop her from her zeal for the Lord. She was a sweet spirit. After contracting COVID in 2022, she lost her ability to speak but never lost her sweet spirit touching other lives. She was a social person, always roaming the halls visiting other residents.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Max Brown, sister & brother-in-law Mary Alice & Kenneth Gerhardt, brother Tommy Cornthwaite, & daughter-in-law Pam Brown. She is survived by her son Timothy (Johanna) Brown of Mercedes, TX, son Thomas Brown of Limon, CO, daughter Alicia (Bob) Matoba of Las Vegas, NV, 5 grandchildren: Tyler (Kristen) Matoba, Erica (Dylan) Barry, Tanner (Amanda) Matoba, Jonathan (Brianna) Brown, Alaina (Zachary) Vaughan: Great granddaughters Ava Barry & Norah Matoba: Great grandsons Kyler Barry, Wyatt Barry, & Ryland Vaughan & many nieces and nephews.

A celebration of her life will be held beginning with a viewing at Love Funeral Home (Limon) on December 26 from 4-6pm. Funeral services will be held at Hi-Plains Baptist Church (Limon) on December 27 at 10am with internment at Pershing Cemetery (Limon) immediately following the service.

She will be missed by all.

Memorial contributions can be sent to the Hi-Plains Baptist Church, PO Box 158, Limon, CO 80828