Edward Lee Brown

Edward "Eddie" Lee Brown, formerly of Rolla, Missouri, passed away on Monday, September 1, 2025 at the age of 84. Eddie was born at home on March 16, 1941 to Dudley and Dora Brown in Armstrong, Missouri. He spent most of his childhood in Randolph County with his grandparents George and Anna Fariss, where he attended a three-room schoolhouse in Roanoke with his little sister Mary. He told wonderful stories of traveling everywhere by horse because his grandfather never trusted automobiles, wearing clothes sewn by his grandmother from flour sacks, and catching squirrels, rabbits and frogs…what he called "good eatin'." Uncle Sam called Eddie into the US Army after high school. He served for six years, and while stationed in New Jersey, he met Claire Anne Whiteley at a dance hosted by the USO at Fort Monmouth. The two were married on November 20, 1965. And despite her father's warning that people in the country "didn't wear shoes," Claire took a chance and agreed to live in Randolph County, Missouri with her new husband. The couple settled in Huntsville and had two daughters, Linda Ann Brown born in 1967 and Karen Lee Brown born in 1969. Eddie worked on the assembly line at A. B. Chance Company for many years, and later in life, served on the maintenance team at the state capitol building in Jefferson City. His favorite memories were talking Missouri sports with the Governors while riding in the elevator. Eddie had many hobbies, but fishing was at the top of his list. His daughters would often wake-up on Saturday mornings to find catfish swimming in their bathtub. When the girls went along on his fishing trips, he'd let them steer the car down the gravel roads while he worked the pedals. He taught them at an early age to pull over when a turtle was in the road, pick it up, and move it safely where it wanted to go. After retirement, the family moved to Phelps County, Missouri where he was a member of the First Baptist Church in St. James. Eddie's greatest loves in life were Jesus and his wife Claire. He passed away just two months short of their 60th wedding anniversary. Upon his death, Eddie was predeceased by his grandparents George and Anna Fariss, his parents Dudley and Dora Brown Mize, his sister Mary Longbine, his brother John Mize, and his brother Dudley Brown Jr. He is survived by his wife Claire Anne Brown, his daughter Linda Brown Goff and her husband Daniel Goff, his daughter Karen Brown, his sister Rose Helzer, his sister Sharon Goswami, and many grandchildren, great grandchildren, cousins, nieces, and nephews. Services for Edward "Eddie" Brown will be held on Friday, September 5th at the First Baptist Church in St. James with a visitation from 4 p.m to 5 p.m. and the service to immediately follow. The graveside service will be held at the Roanoke Cemetery on Saturday, September 6th at 11 a.m.