Christopher James Brain

Christopher James Brain passed away on May 10, 2025, at Knoxville Hospital, surrounded by those he dearly loved. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Details will be made public once plans are finalized.
Chris was born in Newton, Iowa, on July 30, 1964, to James Brain and Sharon Smith (McMaster). While living in Newton, he worked for Maytag, as well as working in camper and RV refrigeration, and served as a volunteer for the Newton Fire Department. Chris worked for his father at Brain Upholstery, where he eventually took over. He dabbled in selling wood pallet stoves and could also convert those into corn stoves.
He loved nature, and summertime meant being outdoors with family and friends-camping, boating on Lake Red Rock, Mariposa, Rock Creek, and Rathbun, or sitting around a campfire swapping stories late into the night. He also loved hunting and fishing, always looking for that next big catch. Even if the weather was bad, Chris could be found chasing storms for fun. He spent his spare time working on cars, pickups, boats, motorcycles, or campers in the garage. He enjoyed sharing his knowledge of cars with his daughters. When he wasn't fixing things, Chris enjoyed building model trains. He had an entire room in the basement where he carefully and thoroughly created an entire community revolving around the train tracks. Every detail was meticulously considered.
He enjoyed the old westerns and Big Bang Theory and was also a fan of Batman. He also enjoyed a delicious meal, especially meat, potatoes, and carrots. Shelly's cooking was his favorite! Chris could cook a great meal as well. Steaks, burgers, cheesy loaded hashbrowns, and cheese dip were a few of his specialties. His favorite ingredients were garlic salt and Lowry's, adding it to almost everything! He even perfected tacos over a campfire that took days to properly prepare. The recipe for his cherry chocolate cake was always a secret that he would never divulge.
He was a loving husband, father, grandpa, uncle, and nephew. His four grandchildren were the joy of his life. He never missed a chance to be at their sporting events, cheering them on with pride in his heart. He was always there even if he had to park a mile away. He will be deeply missed, lovingly remembered, and forever part of every campfire, boat ride, and old Western from here on out.
Chris leaves behind his wife of 35 years, Shelly; daughters, Alexa (Alex) Bebout and Megan (Terry Reynolds) Brain; grandchildren: Evelyn, Bennett, Brendan, and Scarlett; siblings: Kathy Ambrose, Patricia Retzolff, Tony Brain, and Robbie Smith; father in-law, Kay (Shirley) Harsin; brother in-law, Eric (Michelle) Harsin; brother in-law, Daryl VanWyngarden; and many other loving family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a nephew, Clayton Harsin; mother in-law, Sandra Harsin; a sister in-law, Sheryl VanWyngarden; and many other loving friends and family.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Chris's wife, Shelly.