Charles Robert Brown

Per his wishes, burial of cremains is planned for a later date, beside his only true love, wife Barb, at the Pine Bluffs Cemetery, Pine Bluffs, Wyoming. A celebration of life will be planned for this summer in Wyoming.

Bob was born February 28, 1947, to Clarence A. (Charlie) and Helen E. Brown née Heusman and grew up on the family farm and sheep ranch near Pine Bluffs where he created mischief with his imaginary farm hands, Fritz and Dierks. As an adult, he was never much of a gardener, but he liked to try – some years. There’s still an outstanding Colorado warrant for his negligent murder of hanging baskets.

He attended the first four years of primary school at Egbert, Wyoming and grades 5 through 12 at Pine Bluffs. Despite many hours in detention, he graduated from Pine Bluffs High School in 1965. He played football and participated in band and 4H. Bob earned a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Business degree at the University of Wyoming in 1969.

After college, Bob worked in Cheyenne, Wyoming as a federal agriculture statistician from 1967 to 1972, at which point he joined his family’s John Deere dealership in Oshkosh, Nebraska which led to a lifelong affinity for John Deere Green.

While enjoying a weekend of revelry in Cheyenne in 1975, Bob met Wauneta J. (Barb) Kitto. They married on September 18, 1976, at Chapel in the Hills, Rapid City, South Dakota. The couple made their home in Oshkosh where their two daughters were born.

After closing the John Deere store in 1988, Bob moved his family to Cheyenne where he resumed a civil service career at F. E. Warren Air Force Base. In 1990 he transferred to Denver, Colorado as a Department of Defense (DoD) contract price analyst and was later promoted to Contracting Officer. In 1998 he accepted a DOD appointment near London, England administering contracts throughout the United Kingdom. The Browns enjoyed extensive travel throughout Europe during the nearly five years they lived in Great Kings Hill, Buckinghamshire.

In 2002 Bob was appointed Procuring Contracting Officer for DoD’s Tricare Management Activity in Aurora, Colorado. Throughout his career, colleagues could count on Bob for his detailed analytic work while admiring his work ethic, good humor, and thoughtfulness. Upon his retirement in 2011, the Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Steven L. Beshear, commissioned Bob as a Kentucky Colonel for his dedication to public service.

Seeking refuge from wind and snow and lower elevation for health reasons, the Browns relocated to Goodyear, AZ in 2014. Bob was a charter member of the Pebble Creek Cinema Society and frequently attended Pebble Creek Lifelong Learning events. He was a regular at a men’s no-name, cigar smoking, breakfast club with “no socially redeeming value.” In 2021, Bob moved to Houston to be closer to family. In Houston, he became an Astros fan, ensuring all of his neighbors were kept abreast of where to catch the game on TV.

In his spare time, Bob enjoyed classical music, preparing fine food, entertaining, a matinee movie, closely following the stock market and fussing with the IRS. He’d watch live sports so long as it was comparatively quiet. He enjoyed the Rockies at Coors Field. He liked the feel of that park. It could be counted on to be mostly quiet. He enjoyed ballgames most when his grandkids were with him.

He relished talking with anyone who would listen, often providing life lessons with “well, as Dad used to say. . .” one-liners: “It ain’t what you don’t know, it’s what you know that ain’t so.” “There’s no sense of being a klutz unless you can show it.” “Take your time going, but hurry back.”

Bob was a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner, serving as a Shrine clown for many years. He was Past Master of Oshkosh Lodge #286 A.F. & A.M. and subsequently served as Secretary for several years. He was also past Associate Guardian of Job’s Daughters Bethel #46 of Oshkosh.

He is survived by Daughters Leigh K. Freeman (Mark) of The Woodlands, Texas and Jackie J. Quella (Chad) of King William, Virginia; Brother Gary Brown of North Platte, Nebraska; Granddaughter Sydney Freeman and Grandsons Nash Quella, Griffin Freeman, and Teague Quella; Brother-In-Law Gene Charles of Rapid City, South Dakota and Sister-In-Law Jeanette Kitto of Fulton, South Dakota; many cousins, nephews, nieces, their extended families, and friends around the world. He was preceded in death by his wife Barb, his parents, and infant brother Jack.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Bob’s name to Mental Health America of Greater Houston (https://mhahouston.org/).