Dean Brown

1942 - 2014

Dean Thales Brown

Beaver, Utah

Dean Thales Brown, 72, passed away unexpectedly on September 3, 2014. He was born June 14, 1942 in Provo, Utah to Thales C & Edna Wiscombe Brown. He had a strong pioneer heritage in the Mapleton and Springville, Utah areas. His family moved to Parowan, Utah in 1944.

Dean loved life in his beloved small town. As a young child Dean had rheumatic fever and was sick for almost an entire year. He excelled in athletics and played for one of the best Parowan High School basketball teams ever. Dean was blessed with a great memory and could recall information readily. He loved to "jitter-bug" & dance at the high school dances. He was actively involved with the FFA program and livestock shows showing cattle and pigs. He hunted almost everything with his Dad.

Dean graduated from Parowan High School in 1960 and that fall briefly attended Utah State. He served an LDS mission in the New England States. He thought Portland, Maine was the coldest place on earth. He admired greatly his mission president, Truman G Madsen.

Dean graduated from College of Southern Utah (SUU) with a Political Science and Economics degree. It was there that he met his eternal sweetheart, Marilyn Roberts from Beaver. They were married in the St. George Temple June 3, 1966. He adored her and she him.

Dean proudly served his country in Vietnam, U.S. Army, Intelligence Division. He returned home in July 1968 when his wife had a car accident and was in the hospital for five months with a broken neck.

Dean and Marilyn moved to Beaver in 1969. He grew to love his adopted small town and there raised his four children. Dean taught school at Beaver High School for 33 years—his favorite subjects were History, Driver's Ed, and Special Ed. He loved his association with all students and staff. He influenced 100's of students for good. He loved the Old Beaver High School and the cherished memories he made there. He thoroughly enjoyed a good game of Chess with students and friends. He could quote the year of any BHS graduate that he ever taught. He bled "Beaver Blue" through and through!

Dean enjoyed coaching his sons in Beaver Youth Basketball. Deer Hunting and deer camp up to South Creek or Cottonwood/Mineral (Paragonah) with his boys was a favorite past time. He looked forward to the Labor Day celebration in Parowan each year. He enjoyed travelling Chuck-A-Rama, the Bar J Wranglers, and following the many activities of his children and grandchildren, especially their sporting events. He loved to study the Old Spanish Trail and always wanted to write a book about it. He was always the jokester and enjoyed doing his "coin trick." He talked to everyone, anywhere.

He was an active member of the LDS Church where he enjoyed teaching the gospel. He loved the Beaver First Ward and its people. Thanks to his special home teachers, Pat Yardley and Allen Rust. He played church basketball back in the day and enjoyed it very much.

Dean instilled in his children the value of hard work, integrity, responsibility, and traditions. He helped start a lawn mowing business with his sons and cut many loads of firewood. Brown's Mowing Service is still in business today with the grandkids keeping it going. He enjoyed time with his family in the Beaver Mountains and at the cabin in Merchant Valley.

Dean and Marilyn built a beautiful, new home in the spring of 2013 in their "back yard." He enjoyed their time together there making memories albeit short lived. He was excited he finally had a garage.

Dean is survived by his wife Marilyn and four children: Gary Brown (Kristina) - Beaver; Bonnie Fails (Troy) - Beaver; Jason Brown (Lesa) - Monroe; and Kevin Brown (Kimberly) - Syracuse; his parents, Thales and Edna Brown (Parowan), brother, James and Shelley Brown (Beaver) and 13 precious grandchildren, Dean's in-laws LuWana Hess, Carma Ainsworth, Eileen Sherratt, Jessie Roberts, Drexel Roberts, Gordon & Janice Roberts.

He is preceded in death by his sister Phyllis Blake (Wes) in May 2014 and in-laws Leonard and Wanda Roberts, brother-in-law's Lee Hess, Roy Ainsworth, Garth Sherratt, Sheldon Roberts and Floyd Roberts.

Viewing will be Sunday, September 7, 2014 from 6-8 pm at Southern Utah Mortuary, 195 N 200 W, Beaver. Funeral services will be held Monday, September 8, 2014 at 11 am at Beaver 1st Ward Chapel, 15 N 100 W, Beaver, with a viewing from 9-10:30 am prior to service at the church. Interment will be in the Mountain View Cemetery in Beaver under the direction of Southern Utah Mortuary. Online condolences can be made at www.sumortuary.com. Dad we love you!!