Forrest Cecil Brown

Forrest Cecil Brown, 78, of Bloomington, Indiana, passed away peacefully surrounded by family at his residence on August 3, 2025.
Forrest was born on June 22, 1947, in Muncie, Indiana, to Roy H. and Betty Puckett Brown. Growing up in Mooreland, Indiana, Forrest (who went by Cecil when he was young) was a proud 4-H member and Boy Scout. He always had a love for fishing, a passion he caught from his dad who was an avid fisherman himself, and enjoyed fishing alongside his little brother, Rodney Keith Brown. In 1965, he graduated from Blue River Valley High School where he was involved in the National Honor Society, newspaper, basketball, and was a delegate to Hoosier Boys State. In 1967, he received his Associates degree in Electronics Engineering Technology from Sams Technical Institute in Indianapolis.
In 1969, Forrest joined the United States Air Force and worked diligently up the ranks to become a Staff Sergeant by the time of his honorable discharge in 1975, and had received awards and merits based on his work ethic and efficiency throughout his service.
He graduated from Ball State University with his Bachelor of Science degree in 1978. In 1980, he co-authored the book, Distribution and Life History Notes for Fishes of the Hoosier National Forest, Indiana, to help document and protect the fish species of the area. He received his Masters of Science degree from Ball State in 1985. During his time at Ball State, he was an associate member of Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society. He loved the time he spent at school with his professors, mentors, and peers, and even hosted parties and spun records with his friends.
Forrest went on to work for the DNR after he graduated. He moved to Little Cincinnati, IN, and later to Needmore, IN while he worked at the Avoca Fish Hatchery DNR office in the 1980s. In the early 1990s, he moved to Jasonville, IN to work with the Division of Reclamation DNR office where he utilized his technical skills and expertise in computer systems. He loved playing in their office softball games and valued his friendships with his colleagues there. He later retired from the Division of Reclamation as their GIS Coordinator in August 2015.
In the late 1990s, he moved to Spencer, IN and truly considered it home. He spent his retirement years visiting with family, whom he loved dearly, and being a doting grandpa as much as he was able. He always loved reading books and keeping up with college and professional sports on TV. Forrest enjoyed watching basketball, football, golf, and baseball, as well as NASCAR, Formula 1, and IndyCar races. He also enjoyed local news shows, The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon, and PBS and BBC programming.
Forrest was married twice earlier in his life. He is survived by his daughters Kris Stewart (Tony) Powell of Indianapolis, IN, Lauren Brown (Josh) Bender of Spencer, IN, and Haley Brown of Martinsville, IN; grandchildren Karina Powell, Bailey Powell, Maia Powell, Tristan Powell, Ethan Powell, and Easton Bender; niece Desiree Brown, nephew Ryne Brown, and many cousins. He is preceded in death by his parents Roy & Betty Brown, and his brother Rodney Keith Brown.
A casual Celebration of Life gathering for Forrest Cecil Brown will be held on Saturday, September 20, 2025, in the Sycamore Room at the Canyon Inn at McCormick's Creek State Park in Spencer, IN from 2pm-4pm for family, friends, and former colleagues. In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations to any of Forrest's favorite charitable organizations in his honor, including the PBS Foundation, local PBS television and radio stations, or the Southern Poverty Law Center.