Susan Ann Brown

Susan A. Brown of Austin, TX, passed away on Friday, May 22, 2026, at the age of 71. She was born on February 2, 1955, in Detroit, MI, where she grew up in several neighborhoods in the Detroit area. In her teens, her father purchased a dairy farm outside of Charlevoix, MI, and moved the family there, where she helped care for the animals. She graduated from Charlevoix High School in 1974 and began working as a restaurant server in her late teens and early twenties. Then her high school best friend and her military spouse introduced her to her soon-to-be husband, David M. Brown. He was a coworker of her friend’s spouse who was also stationed at the US Air Force radar station in Bayshore, Michigan. David and Susan were married in Charlevoix, MI, on June 19, 1976. Life as a military spouse saw her following David to many duty stations, both within the states and overseas. She became a stay-at-home mother to her two sons as the family visited many countries in Asia and Europe as a benefit of their overseas duty assignments. After David’s military retirement, the family settled in Austin, TX, where they purchased a large lot in an estate subdivision, built their first and only home, raised a very large vegetable garden, and continued to raise their sons to adulthood. Once the sons were grown and on their own, she dedicated her time caring for young children in jobs like school crossing guard, children’s day care provider in the baby room, child care for a private family, and as an elementary school cafeteria monitor. Once David retired from the State of Texas employment, they began traveling to the countries and continents they had missed while in the military. Before her passing, they managed to visit and experience all seven continents, fulfilling a long-time bucket list.

She is preceded in death by her maternal grandmother, Bertha Brostrom, her parents, Francis and Ruth (Brostrom) Boyd, and her oldest brother, Gary Boyd. She is also preceded in death by her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Billy and Pauline (Schoener) Brown of Robstown, Texas.

She is survived by her husband of almost 50 years, David M. Brown, her 1st son, Jared L. Brown, her 2nd son, Justin T. Brown, all of Austin, TX, and her middle brother Dennis Boyd of Cheboygan, MI. She also has two nephews – Gary Boyd, Jr. of Lake Worth, FL, and Craig Boyd of Petoskey, MI. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Stennasaga (Halldorson) Boyd and her brother-in-law, Steve Brown of Houston, Texas.

The family would like to thank the staff at the Claire Bridge memory care unit of Brookdale Lakeway for the care and compassion they showed our loved one in her final days.

A gathering will be held at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home, 6300 West William Cannon Drive, Austin, TX 78749, on June 20 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Interment at Barnard Cemetery, 15700 Klooster Rd, Charlevoix, MI 49720, on August 26 at 2:00 PM, where she will be laid to rest beside her parents and maternal grandmother for all eternity.