Amos Wilford Brown

He was born October 16, 1923 in Logan, Utah, to Lillian Christensen and

Amos Brown, the 14th of 15 children in a close-knit blended family.

Called "Junior" until adulthood, Amos spent happy childhood days

camping with his family and getting into mischief with his twin

brothers. This mischief often involved cars, for which he developed a

lifelong love. His other lifelong love was his high school sweetheart,

Evelyn Seamons, whom he married on April 10, 1942 in the Logan, Utah,

LDS Temple. They made their first home in Nampa, Idaho, where he

helped build the Amalgamated Sugar factory.

During World War II he received advanced training in communications

and served in the Fifth Marines Division, a corporal leading a team

installing telephone lines between the front lines and battalion

headquarters during the battle of Iwo Jima. He witnessed terrible

devastation, the iconic flag raisings, and was among the occupying

troops after Japan's surrender. Three years after enlisting, he

returned home to meet his first child for the first time.

Upon his return from the war, he and Evelyn moved their family to Twin

Falls, Idaho, where Amos again worked as a mechanic for Amalgamated

Sugar. In 1954, a new job took the family to Seattle, where Amos

eventually built his own packaging equipment company, Brown Packaging,

Inc., which he and Evelyn owned and operated together. Amos designed a

machine capable of applying labels to the new stackable tuna fish

cans, for which he holds a patent. They sold the thriving business

upon their retirement in 1987 and filled their later years with family

and travel and church service. Four of their five children settled

near them, so their grandchildren knew them well.

For over 20 years Amos and Evelyn rented a large beachfront house in

Cannon Beach, Oregon for a week-long family vacation that kept their

children and grandchildren close and filled many photo albums with

pictures of happy children playing on the beach. He also ensured that

the big family reunions of his siblings and nieces and nephews

happened each year in Utah, and he attended each year as long as his

health allowed. Though he remained fond of his childhood home in the

Utah desert, Amos loved the Northwest: the greenery and the seafood

and watching passing ships with his telescope. Favorite trips included

Hawaii, Japan, Australia, Israel, Egypt, deep sea fishing in Alaska,

and a special trip to his father's childhood village of Sapcote,

England where he met some of his English cousins.

Amos and Evelyn were active in the Mormon church and served two

missions together: the first for LDS Church Employment Services in

Seattle, and the second in the Seattle LDS Mission office. Amos took

care of the missionary car fleet and Evelyn was the financial

secretary. They also served in the Seattle LDS Temple.

Amos could fix practically anything, and was happiest when he had a

project. Even on vacation he would often go searching for objects that

needed repair or improvement--sometimes as enjoyment, and more often

as service.

Evelyn's health gradually began to fail, and Amos served as her loving

caretaker until her death in February 2002. They had been married 59

years and had been together all day, most every day, for over 30

years. He was very lonely without her.

In 2004, Amos married Judith Young Newbill, whom he had met while they

were both working in the Seattle Temple. Soon thereafter they served a

mission to Jackson, Mississippi, where they worked in the mission

office, Amos as financial clerk and Judy as secretary to the

president. In July 2005, they received word that Amos's son Greg was

missing. Despite extensive searches by family and experts, he was not

found.

Amos and Judy were in Jackson when that area was hit by Hurricane

Katrina and Hurricane Rita. At the end of their mission they toured on

the way home, visiting 11 LDS temples.

Upon their return to the Northwest Amos and Judy moved to Mukilteo,

keeping active with family and church. During Amos's declining health,

Judy has been a loving companion and compassionate caregiver,

undoubtedly lengthening and enriching his life.

He was preceded in death by wife Evelyn, son Gregrey, five

grandchildren, and 13 siblings. He will be dearly missed by wife

Judith; children Carole (Carvel) Thatcher, Amos Jeffery (Kathy) Brown,

Janet (Dale) Marshall, Cindy (Mike) Elison; fifteen grandchildren; 27

great-grandchildren; sister Phyllis Talbot; and a host of other

relatives and friends.