Verna C. Brown

Verna Caroline Armstrong Montz Brown, 91, of Scottsbluff, died Monday, August 15, 2011, at Heritage Estates in Gering. A graveside service will be held 11:00 a.m., Saturday, August 20, 2011, at Fairview Cemetery in Scottsbluff with Pastor Michael Clement officiating. Friends may visit from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Friday, at Dugan-Kramer Funeral Chapel in Scottsbluff. Verna was born July 24, 1920, at Mariaville, Nebraska, to Verne Carroll and Katherine (Hasch) Armstrong. She graduated from high school at Rock County High School at Bassett, Nebraska in 1937. She married M. Wayne Montz on April 28, 1944, at Harrison, Nebraska. Wayne was killed in an airplane crash on I. D. Hickey Ranch on August 28, 1955. Verna taught school in rural schools in Rock and Sioux Counties for eight years. Verna then worked for Woolworths, Ben Franklin Stores and Eckhardt Cleaners before retiring in 1981 after working for Eckhard’s for 22 years. She married Douglas L. Brown on September 15, 1971, at Harrisburg, Nebraska. They were married for 30 years until he passed away at Beverly Health Care Center on January 17, 2002. Survivors include her stepson, Robert Brown and granddaughter, Elizabeth of Douglas, Wyoming; nephew, Ray Owen of Bennett, Colorado; and brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Donald and JoAnn Montz of Torrington, Wyoming. She was preceded in death by her parents; both husbands; and sister, Aletha Lohrie on September 4, 2006.