Col. Stephen E. Brown

Col. Stephen E. Brown, 67, of Stilwell, Kansas, passed away peacefully at home on June 24, 2025.

Born March 8, 1958, in Unionville, Missouri, Steve was the son of Dale and Charlotte Brown and the older brother of MaryAnn Brown James (David). A proud Archbishop O’Hara High School graduate, Steve met and married his high school sweetheart, Susan Wiley, and their loving marriage spanned 45 years.

Together, Steve and Susan raised two children: Andrew Brown (Jess) and Rachel Uptergrove (Garet) and were blessed with six grandchildren: Blaine and Hailey Uptergrove, Lily and Kaden Brown, and Tristan and Trevor Beckerdite. Steve cherished his role as brother-in-law to Kathy Wiley and Mark Wiley (Tracey) and Uncle to his nieces and nephews. He enjoyed spending time with his cousins at the family farm in Savannah, MO. Steve’s devotion to family was evident in all he did.

Steve earned his bachelor’s degree in administration of justice from Rockhurst University in January 1979. During college, he began his military journey through Officer Candidate School and the United States Marine Corps (USMC) Platoon Leaders Class (PLC) at Quantico, Virginia. He went on to serve his country with distinction in the USMC for 30+ years, flying Cobra attack helicopters and participating in numerous operations, including deployments to Beirut, Grenada, Honduras, the Persian Gulf, Panama, Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Somalia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. His final deployment was to the Al Anbar Province in Iraq as the “Air Boss” for Camp Al-Taqaddum Air Base in 2008.

As a United States Marine, he served in operational and strategic roles with unwavering dedication. He held multiple master’s degrees, including National Security Strategy, Military Operational Art, and Military Studies. He attended several military schools, including the Basic School, Naval Flight School, Amphibious Warfare School, Command and Staff College, School of Advanced Warfighting, and the National War College, as well as multiple short-duration training schools.

After retiring from active duty in 2009, Steve continued his commitment to service through education, earning another master’s degree in education. He began teaching and coaching football at Blue Valley North High School in Overland Park, Kansas. He later joined the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC) in the Department of Joint, Interagency and Multinational Operations at Fort Leavenworth, KS, where he taught until his full retirement in 2018.

Steve was also a passionate community volunteer, serving as a National WWI Museum and Memorial docent. He was a lifelong Kansas City Chiefs fan, a lover of sports cars and motorcycles, and a gifted storyteller known for his sharp wit and warm humor.

Visitation will be held Monday, June 30, 5-7 p.m. with sharing of memories from 7-8 pm., at McGilley State Line Chapel, 12301 State Line Road, Kansas City, MO 64145. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, July 1, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Michael the Archangel Parish,14251 Nall Avenue, Leawood, KS 66223.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution to the “Colonel Stephen E. “Brownie” Brown Scholarship,” created by his lifelong friends to honor his lifetime of service to our country and their friendship. Donate here: https://www.cgscfoundation.org/brown-scholarship-endowment/

For more details on the scholarship, as well as Col. Brown’s military bio, see the announcement here: https://www.cgscfoundation.org/col-brown-scholarship/

To Steve’s lifelong friends and military family: thank you for the years of laughter, support, and treasured memories. Your presence in his life brought immense joy and strength, and for that, we are forever grateful.

Our family would also like to thank the caregivers, nurses, and medical staff who provided Steve with compassionate and dignified care over the last several years. Catholic Community Health Hospice and Home Base Primary Care Team with the VA have exceeded expectations. Your kindness and dedication meant the world to us during a difficult time.