Lee Dell Brown Obituary (1926

Lee Dell Brown, age 87, passed away suddenly on November 15, 2013, surrounded by his loving family. He was born October 13, 1926, in Payson, Utah to parents Darrel and Nadine Brown. He was the fifth child in the family of 9 children. Lee and his brothers Wayne and Warren learned the plumbing business from their dad. He was a hard worker and always had a wonderful business sense. At age 14 he ran the Arrowhead resort, a local swimming pool and dance hall, for his dad. Lee attended schools in Payson and after high school he served in the Merchant Marines in WWII. During and after the war he traveled the world and loved seeing new places and meeting new people. He came home and married his high school sweetheart, Elayne Bartholomew in 1946. Together they raised their family of six children in Payson and later in Provo. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, and will be greatly missed. Lee and his brothers Warren and Wayne bought the plumbing business, Brown Plumbing and Heating, from their dad and moved the business to Provo. He taught plumbing at Trade Tech and served as the President of the Utah Plumbers Association for several years. Lee had many other successful business ventures that he developed through the years. The Turf Café in Payson, Brown Brothers Furniture Store in Provo, and Salt Lake and Orem Leasing were just a few. He served as Fire Chief for the Payson Volunteer Fire Department. He was active in the Payson Lions Club and a lifetime member of the Provo Elks Club. Lee and his family loved hunting and fishing. He hunted and fished extensively throughout the US and Canada. He traveled to Mongolia and China, Africa, New Zealand and Australia on hunting trips. He loved the Utah Mountains and his favorite place in the world was his hunting cabin at Jump Creek. Lee instilled a love of the outdoors in his children and grandchildren and loved teaching them how to hunt and take them fishing. He traveled southern Utah with the Jeep Patrol on their annual trips for the past 45 years. Lee is survived by his dear friend and companion, Lorraine Braithwaite, children, Judy (Guy) Goddard, Sharon (Gary) Mikkelson, Brad (Theo) Brown, Kim (Charlie) Christensen, Nicole (Jeff) Luck, 21 grandchildren and 34 great-grandchildren. Lee’s surviving siblings include LaPriel (Reed) Pulver, Renae (Claire) McCullough, Michael (Dee) Brown, and Jay (Avon) Brown. He is preceded in death by his parents, his beloved wife Elayne Brown, son Scott Brown, sister Nada (Grant) Jacobson, brothers Glen (Bobbette) Brown, Warren (Chris) Brown, and Wayne (Mary Jean) Brown. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, November 22, 2013 at the Berg Drawing Room Chapel, 185 East Center, Provo, Utah 84606. Friends may call at the mortuary on Thursday, November 21 from 6-8:00 p.m. and Friday from 9:45-10:45 a.m. prior to services. Interment will be in the Payson City Cemetery. In lieu of flowers please make a contribution to the Veterans Association or the United Way. Condolences can be sent through his obituary at www.bergmortuary.com.