Kent L Brown

PEORIA ~ Kent LeRoy Brown, 89, of Peoria, passed away at 12:45 p.m. Friday, December 17, 2010 at Heartland Health Care in Peoria.

Born February 21, 1921 in Farmington, Iowa to Pearl LeRoy and Della M. (Alston) Brown, he married Barbara Ellen Bushmire on April 19, 1946 in LaHarpe.  She survives.

Also surviving are four sons, Roger (Shellie) Brown of Bartonville, Raymond (Sandy) Brown of Chillicothe, Jim (Becky) Brown of Peoria and Leonard (Nancy) Brown of Germantown Hills; one daughter, Linda (Bill) Reynolds of Bartonville; seven grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson; one brother, Wayne (Betty) Brown of Burlington, Iowa; and two sisters, Orma (Bob) Bjork of Stronghurst and Amy Richer of Oregon.

His parents preceded him in death.

Kent was raised in LaHarpe and graduated from LaHarpe High School in 1940.

He was a veteran of the United States Army, serving during World War II in Hawaii.

He was a member of Carpenters Union Local 183 in Peoria for 63 years.  He worked for Berchtold Builders, Hoffman Brothers and Ray Becker Builders.

He worked on many of the major buildings and homes in the area and was a member of the Modern Woodmen.

He also was a member and past president of the Illinois Valley Antique Automobile Club.

He was a member and part-owner of the Wheels of Time Museum, where he still has a 1920 Briscoe and a 1916 Glide, which was made in Peoria, on display.

He helped design and build the Wheels of Time Museum.  He also helped to bring home the 1898 Duryea to Peoria.  He helped restore the 1855 Fire Pumper and 886 Locomotive displayed at the museum.  He served as a tour guide at the museum until 2009.

He was a member of the British Car Club and a member and past director of the Peoria Regional Museum Society.  He helped restore the Jubilee Park College and made exact replicas of the school furniture. 

He always enjoyed autos and making many friends.  He was a good husband and father who enjoyed telling jokes and stories, especially to his grandchildren.  He will be greatly missed.

Kent’s family wishes to thank the staff of Heartland Health Care Center, Proctor Hospital and OSF St. Francis Hospital for the care given to him.

His memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, January 8, 2011 at Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory in Pekin.  The Rev. Craig Hislope will officiate.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be given to a charity of the donor’s choice.

To express condolences online, visit www.preston-hanley.com