David Franklin Brown, 65, of Norwalk, died Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017, at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Tomah.
He was born Aug. 4, 1952, to Franklin and Darlene (Marshall) Brown in Richland County. He was a member of the Tomah High School graduating class of 1970. After high school, he attended Western Wisconsin Technical College and earned an associate’s degree in accounting. He served in U.S Navy.
He was united in marriage to Kathryn Schaefer on Feb. 14, 1981, at the Methodist church in Norwalk, and they renewed their vows in the Catholic faith at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Tomah on Aug. 14, 1981.
He worked as a housekeeper at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Tomah; he retired in 2017. David was a member of theNorwalk American Legion Post 438 and the Texas Longhorn Breeders Association for many years. In his spare time, David enjoyed spending time spoiling his granddaughter, Mallory. He also enjoyed fishing and reading suspense novels, and his favorite author was Lee Child. He loved to sit on his daughter Jeanette’s picnic table and watching his Texas Longhorn cattle. He will be remembered as a quiet man with a gentle heart.
He is survived by his wife, Kathryn of Norwalk; his children, Jeanette (Jeremy) Millner of Elroy and Doug (Stacy) Brown of Norwalk; a granddaughter, Mallory Schendel; a sister, Marlene (Roger) Schultz of Tomah; his aunts and uncles, Edward (Liz) Brown and Eldon (Kate) Brown, both of Tomah, Geneva (Dean) Switz of Campbellsport, Wis., Robert (Karen) Brown of Black River Falls, Wis., Lois Overesch, Marilynn Stevens and Meredith Payne; a brother-in-law, Duane (Herminia) Schaefer of Tomah; three sisters-in-law, Bette (Steve) Stone of Norwalk, Rita Taylor of Tomah, and Ida Schaefer of Norwalk; and nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister-in-law, Bonita Schaefer; and two brothers-in-law, William Schaefer and Terry Taylor.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 27, at St. Augustine’s of Hippo Catholic Church, W109 County Highway U, Norwalk. Father Michael Klos and Father Ivan Torres, OLMO, will officiate. Burial will be in the Lloyd Cemetery at a later date.
Relatives and friends are invited for a time of visitation on Tuesday from 4–8 p.m., with a prayer service starting at 7 p.m., at the Sonnenburg Family Funeral Home, 801 E. Monowau St. There will also be a time of visitation at the church on Wednesday from 10 a.m. until the time of the service. Online condolences may be sent to www.sonnenburgfamilyfh.com.
