Ronald K. "Brownie" Brown, 92, of Cherokee, Iowa, peacefully succumbed to the complications of Alzheimer's disease on Monday evening, January 16, 2017 in Accura Health Care in Cherokee.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, January 23rd at 10:30 am, at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa. Pastor Larry Ostercamp will officiate. Burial will be in the Oak Hill Cemetery at Cherokee with military rites by L.A. Wescott Post #2253 of the V.F.W. There will be a family prayer service at 10:15 am at the funeral home on Monday. Visitation will be on Sunday, January 22nd, from 11 am until 5 pm with the family present from 2 pm until 4 pm at the funeral home. Online condolences can be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com. The family suggests memorials be made to the Alzheimer's Association or to Cherokee Hospice.

Brownie was born March 14, 1924 in his family farm home near Glade, Kansas to Clyde and Mamie (Chester) Brown. He attended grade school in Glade and graduated from high school in Phillipsburg, Kansas in 1942. After graduation, he entered the Navy during WWII and volunteered to serve with the Submarine "Secret Service". Following Quartermaster training, he served on the USS Spot Submarine from 1942 – 1946. As a Quartermaster, he was the first one to climb to the tower when the submarine surfaced and the last one down the ladder when they submerged. He was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1946 when the war was declared over.

After the war, Brownie attended college at Colorado University in Boulder, Colorado and graduated in 1950 with a Business Degree. His first job was with Ralston Purina as a District Sales Manager for NW Iowa from 1950 to 1958. He then became Sales Manager for Lundell Mfg. from 1958 to 1960. He was Sales Manager for Caswell Mfg. from 1960 to 1964. In 1965, he became half owner of B & B Motors – Ford/Mercury/Lincoln dealership. He went on to buy the Chevrolet dealership in 1969 and later in 1971, he bought the Buick franchise. Brownie and Bob operated Brown Chevrolet & Buick until 2009.

While working at Lundell Mfg., Brownie hired Marilyn Munson as his secretary in July 1959, They became engaged in December 1959 and married in February 1960 at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. Their true love carried them through nearly 57 years of marriage. They were blessed with 2 children Karla Kay and Robert Kyle.

Brownie and Marilyn were able to travel to all 50 states (49 in their motorhome) plus trips to Denmark, Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Virgin Islands and Bermuda that were won from dealership sales contests. Brownie loved motorcycling and snowmobiling but his biggest passion was flying his own airplane. He owned three different airplanes over a 30-year span and logged over 3,000 hours. Of all of his loves, his grandchildren were his biggest pride and joy.

Over the years, Brownie was involved with the Cherokee Flying Club and spent a lot of time with the Boothby's and the Burkhart's plus others on the Cherokee Flood Committee. In 1965, the flood waters reached the B & B Motors showroom and flooded the interior of a 1965 red Mustang with white leather interior he had bought his wife as a surprise.

Brownie was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Margery Brown.

He is survived by his wife, Marilyn, two children Karla (Ron) Willard of Centennial Colorado, Bob (Carole) Brown of Cherokee and four grandchildren; Katie Willard, Danielle Willard, Megan Brown and Ryan Brown.