Orlen L. "Bud" Brownfield

SERVICE INFORMATION:

Orlen L. "Bud" Brownfield, 88, of Sidney, Iowa, entered into eternal rest on Monday, December 29, 2025, in Shenandoah, Iowa. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at the First Church of Christ in Sidney, Iowa. The family will greet relatives and friends with a visitation at the Nishna Valley Funeral Home in Sidney, Iowa, on Monday, January 5, 2025, from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Interment will be at the Sidney Cemetery immediately following the service. Memorials may be directed to the First Church of Christ.

OBITUARY:

Orlen Lee (Bud) Brownfield was born on August 14, 1937, to James Henry Brownfield and Ona Lavina Brownfield in Sidney, Iowa. He had one older brother, Jimmy, and two older sisters, Barbara and Nina. Bud entered into eternal rest December 29, 2025, in Shenandoah, Iowa, at the age of 88.

He attended elementary school in Sidney, Iowa, and was a life-long member of the Church of Christ. As a teenager, he joined the Boy Scouts and became and Eagle Scout. Bud graduated from Sidney High School, where he excelled in track winning the Iowa State pole vaulting championship. After graduation, he went to California where he worked in a gas station. After being on his own for a while, he came back home and decided to go to college in Maryville, Missouri.

In September of 1955, he met Shirley Ann Shoesmith, who worked at the Dude Ranch Drive-in. Bud's friend bet him 50 cents that he couldn't get a date with Shirley. Bud won that bet and they went to the movies the following week. What began as a bet ended up being a 70 plus year love story. The couple was engaged by December and married on February 21, 1956.

Bud joined the United States Air Force in March of 1956. He went to Parks AFB for basic training, and Shirley stayed in Sidney to graduate high school and then joined Bud in California the day she received her diploma. His first assignment was Offutt AFB in Omaha, then to Lake Charles AFB where their first son, Mark, was born. After that, Bud went to Korea for a year, and Shirley and baby Mark stayed with Him and Ona. After returning to the states, he came back to Offutt and there second son, James, and daughter, Dawn, were born. Bud then set his sights higher and went to Officer's Candidate School at Lackland AFB in Texas where he became a 2nd Lieutenant. From there, he went to navigator training in Waco, Texas. Bud excelled at this, and he and the family moved to Charleston AFB in South Carolia. He became the top navigator in his squadron. They lived there for eight years before moving back to Iowa so he could finish his bachelor's degree in political science.

Upon completing his degree, the family moved to California where Bud continued to fly. They were transferred to Scott AFB, Illinois, where Bud became the editor of the MAC Flyer, which was a monthly safety magazine, and he continued his education by getting his master's in political science. Following Illinois, Bud and family returned to California, and he became Squadron Commander of an Avionics Maintenance Squadron. His next assignment was to San AB in Korea where he eventually became the Base Commander. His last assignment was McGuire AFB in New Jersey where Bud and Shirley decided to return after 30 years in the Air Force. He retired as a Colonel in the United States Air Force.

The couples next adventure was buying Brownfield Car. Working on cars was a true love of his. The business lasted 20 years and was a true joy to Bud and his father, Jim. When Brownfield Car was sold, Bud and Shirley traveled the country in their trusty mobile home for about ten years. Bud's talents were numerous. He was a gifted guitar player and singer. He got his private pilots license because he loved flying so much. His greatest passion though was his family and his church.

He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Jim and Ona Brownfield; older brother, Jimmy; sister, Barbara and her husband, Bill; and sister, Nina and her husbands, Max and Bryon. He is survived by his wife of almost 70 years, Shirley; son, Mark and wife Betty; son, Jim and wife Bonnie; daughter, Dawn and her husband Stacy; five grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren with another on the way; numerous nieces, nephews and friends.