Merle "Skip" Brown

Merle "Skip" Brown of Montclair, Virginia passed away on January 13th, 2026, with his family by his side. Skip was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and veteran.
He was born on January 13th, 1944, in Chicago, Illinois to Glenn and Georgia Brown and was raised in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Skip served in the United States Airforce during the Vietnam War. After his military service, he began a distinguished 30-year career at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In 1974, he was united in marriage to Judith A. Haffenbredl in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Throughout his life, Skip's faith was a guiding force. He was passionate about serving others through the church and various organizations. Skip was a proud member of the Knights of Columbus and was a past Grand Knight.
One of Skip's greatest joys was spending time with his grandchildren. He loved to watch them participate in sports, perform in choir concerts, and take part in school activities. He was their biggest cheerleader and was always there to offer encouragement and support. In addition to family time, Skip enjoyed playing poker with his friends and traveling.
Skip is survived by his wife, Judy, children, Jason (Alison) Brown and Alisa Strittmatter. He is survived by his 5 grandchildren, Scarlett, Samuel, Ella, John and Daniel. He is also survived by his siblings, Carol (Charles) Tom, Karen (David) Surdukan, Kristi Brown, Michael Brown and Todd (Carla) Brown.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Glenn and Georgia Brown, sister, Linda Tom and brother, Stephen Brown.
Funeral services will be held at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Triangle, Virginia on Thursday, February 5th, 2026, at 11am. Internment will immediately follow at Quantico National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church.