James Leonard Brown

Obituary
James Leonard Brown
March 7, 1936- November 26, 2025
James Leonard Brown (Brownie), 89, passed away peacefully in the company of loved ones on November 26, 2025 in Billings, Montana. James was born in Greybull, WY to William Everett and Anna (Smith) Brown on March 7, 1936.
Jim was raised in Greybull, WY attending Greybull High School. He graduated as the salutatorian of the class of 1954 and entered the local workforce as an automobile mechanic. He volunteered for the Army in May of 1958 and served as a vehicle repair instructor. While in service to his country he earned weapons badges for Expert (Rifle M-1), Marksman (45 Pistol) and Sharpshooter (Carbine). He finished his service with the 6th Army stationed in San Francisco where he served on the color guard for burial details and courier duty. In his role as a courier, he visited Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Alaska, Hawaii and various other locations. He left active service in 1960 and entered the US Army Reserves.
He returned to the Big Horn Basin, receiving an honorable discharge in May of 1964. He joined Wyoming Gas Company in 1963 as a service man repairing gas stoves and furnaces. In this role he met his future wife, Patricia Preno, as she was the new Home Economics teacher at Greybull High School. They married on October 2, 1964, and were happily married for 61 years. His role with Wyoming Gas evolved to a variety of duties including map maintenance, reading meters, surveying for leaks, pipeline protection services
(cathodic protection) and general historian of equipment locations. He was blessed with an expansive memory and could recall detailed information on projects and events for years. He retired from Wyoming Gas (NGP) in 1998, stating in his retirement notice that he would return to work when he turned 100 yrs old, should he live that long.
Jim loved Wyoming and specifically the Big Horn Basin. After retirement he "volunteered" as a ranch hand with the CV ranch in the shell valley. He could be found (maybe) through the summer months on Bush Creek or Ten Springs on the western slope of the Big Horns. He fixed fences, found strays, helped with vaccinations and cattle drives, and many other necessary tasks, fulfilling a lifelong dream of being a cowboy like his grandfather had been.
Jim was not one for sitting still and roamed around the Big Horn Basin offering advice, a cynical wit and humor to any place he entered. Throughout his life he had many hobbies including photography, fly fishing, tying flies, backpacking, hunting (bow and rifle), cross country skiing, picture framing, woodworking, building golf clubs, braiding tack, reading, and travelling to the wild places of Wyoming. When asked why he didn't travel overseas he would say, "Why would I do that, there are places in Wyoming I haven't seen yet."
In his later years he loved to trade vehicles, just to drive something different. It was often a mystery as to what he would be driving on any given day. His preference for Fremont Motors in Powell will likely be sorely missed. We often joked that dad's trades funded the Fremont Motors Holiday party for the last 10 years. You would often hear him say, as he went out the door with a twinkle in his eye and a grin on his face, "Glad you got to see me." You are right dad; I am glad I got to see you as often as I did and I am blessed to call you dad.
James was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Ina Collingwood of Greybull, WY and his brother, Don Brown of Grand Junction, CO.
He is survived by his loving wife, Patricia; son, Alan Brown and daughter-in-law Robin Nielsen Brown; grandchildren, August Brown of Sioux Falls, SD, and Adriyn Brown of Worland, WY; niece, Linda Gossens of Worland, WY and nephew, Buzz Collingwood of Greybull, WY.
Cremation has taken place, and a Celebration of Life for James will be held at a later date.
Memorials in his honor can be made to The Gary Sinise Foundation (a Veterans Service organization) or Project Recover (an MIA remains repatriation group) and may be mailed to Bryant Funeral Home, PO Box 524, Worland, Wy 82401. Online condolences may be made
at www.bryantfuneralhomeonline.com