Robert L Brown

Robert L. Brown HOUSTON, Texas -- Robert L. Brown, 64, who grew up on a small farm located four miles northwest of Conesville, Iowa, died on July 26, 2016. He was living in Houston, Texas at the time of his death. Robert was born on June 6, 1952, in Iowa City, to Henry L. (Loren) and Marion Van Zandt Brown. The Ralph J Wittich-Riley-Freers Funeral Home is assisting the family. On-line condolences may be left at www.wittichfuneralhome.com. Robert graduated from Columbus Community High School in Columbus Junction, Iowa, in 1970. At Columbus Community High School he was a member of the National Honor Society and received the Danforth Award for youth leadership. Throughout high school, he played the trombone in stage, marching, pep, and concert bands. During his youth, he was a member of the Oakland Raiders 4-H Club in Louisa County and the American Angus Association. Robert attended Iowa State University and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Farm Operations in 1974. At Iowa State, he was selected for membership in the academic honor societies Phi Kappa Phi and Gamma Sigma Delta (Agriculture). He wa...[more]

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life member of the Iowa State University Alumni Association. Upon graduation, Robert returned to the family farm near Conesville and farmed with his father, Loren Brown, until the early 1980s. Beginning in the 1970s and while still farming, Robert began working as a laboratory technician for the agrichemical industry and academic institutions. Past employers include Monsanto Agricultural Products in Muscatine, Iowa; Syngenta Crop Protection in Pasadena, Texas; and the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station in College Station, Texas. At the time of his death he had recently retired from Arkema, Inc. in Clear Lake, Texas where he had worked for the past ten years. In his spare time Robert enjoyed playing the piano, gardening, and following the Houston Astros and his alma mater's Cyclones. His knowledge of pro baseball athletes, coaches, managers and statistics was described by some as "encyclopedic." Robert is survived by his sister, Barbara Dougal of Janesville, Wisconsin; his brother, Dennis Brown of Portland, Oregon; and two nephews, Brian Dougal of San Francisco, California; and Eric Dougal of Kalamazoo, Michigan. He was preceded in death by his parents, Loren and Marion Brown. A memorial service is planned for October 15 at 11 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Nichols, Iowa, where Robert was a member for over 50 years. Pastor Betsey Sue Neipert will officiate. Visitation will be from 10 - 11 a.m. at the church on the day of the service. Entombment will be at Muscatine Memorial Park Cemetary. Memorials may be made to the Nichols United Methodist Church or the Iowa State University Alumni Association.