J. Frank Brown

Frank Brown at age 80 went home to be with the Lord on January 11, 2019. He was born June 17, 1938 in Amarillo, Texas, the son of Paul and Verle Brown. His family called him “Sonny” and his favorite dog was named Bozo, who was his constant companion.

Frank grew up to enjoy the outdoors as a kid...he loved to play baseball and go fishing with his Grandpa George Tye just about every week. Sometimes he skipped school to go swimming with friends at the local pool or go to the movies.

Frank’s family was a large Southern one...family reunions every summer. There were Sunday suppers after church with all the food and watermelon he could eat. Frank loved to eat.

He was proud of his family heritage. Frank’s father’s family came from Tennessee and being Cherokee Indians, were forced to move west in the 1800’s, ending up in Arkansas then Oklahoma and finally Texas.

Frank graduated from Palo Duro High School Class of 1957. It was in his junior year in choir, where he met the love of his life, Nelda Hunt. After graduation, they were married on June 29, 1957 until her death in 1997. He would never remarry no matter how hard his daughter tried to marry him off.

Frank received a football scholarship to Cameron University to play for the Aggies in Lawton, Oklahoma. Football was the second love of his life.

After college he enlisted in the US Navy, and served aboard the Midway Aircraft Carrier as an airplane mechanic. Frank loved the Navy and was a proud veteran.

In 1961, he and Nelda moved to Las Vegas, Nevada where he began a 42-year career as a Sheet Metal Worker. During his career he worked at the Nevada Test Site and on most of the Vegas hotels, where you can still see some of his work in many hotel kitchens and buffets. He was a member of the Sheet Metal Local #88 for a total of 58 years.

Frank was one of the founding members of the Spring Mountain Free Trappers black powder gun club which was started in 1976. He and his good friend, Dan, would go to schools throughout the valley to teach kids the history of frontier living.

He coached Pop Warner Football for several years. He made amazing chili and won some awards at chili cook-offs.

His real passion was his family. He enjoyed every minute he could with each one of them. He and his daughter, Wendee, had a very special bond. One of her fondest memories was that they would make up words to late night silent movies...they would laugh so loudly that they would wake up the house.

When Frank decided to buy a truck he wanted to buy it in Texas, “because Texas has better trucks.” Of course Wendee thought that was a bit much...but it turned out Frank just wanted to drive cross country with his daughter. So that’s what they did, stopping at every Cracker Barrel along the way for biscuits and gravy.

The proudest moments of his life were when he became a Father to Wendee, a Grandfather to Jon and especially a Great Grandfather to Elijah, Caleb and Naomi. You are and will always be the light of his life.

During the good and hard times he never forgot his Faith. One of his life Bible verses was, Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Also, Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Frank will be remembered for his stubbornness (which should have been his middle name) and good sense of humor. He would help any and everyone, even if he didn't know them. If you earned his respect, you were friends for life.

He will be missed, never forgotten and very loved!