John Brown

John Brown, 74, of Topeka passed away on Monday, June 30, 2014 at St. Francis Hospital. He was born January 14, 1940 at Grantville, Kansas the son of Lawrence and Bessie (Spillman) Brown, and lived on his parent’s farm north of Grantville. He graduated from high school at Perry in 1958. He worked at Johnson’s Super Oil for 13 years. He also served in the National Guard for six years. Later John took a job with Hallmark Cards. He worked there for 30 years before retiring. After retirement he kept busy plowing gardens and mowing, basically any job that took a tractor to handle. He had a life-long fascination with trains, and would go down by the tracks whenever a steam engine would roll through town. He liked antique tractors and going to thrashing events like the ones at McLouth and Meriden. He was a member of Grantville United Methodist Church.
On July 9, 1961 he was married at Pleasant Hill Methodist Church to Verle Shelby. Mrs. Brown survives at their home in Topeka; other survivors include five siblings, Bob Brown and wife Doris, Helen Brown Worthington and husband Charles, Don Brown, Kenneth Brown and wife Doris and Roy Richard Brown and wife Kathy. Also surviving are many nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lawrence and Bessie Brown; and a sister, Mary Lou Brown in 1949.
Funeral services will be held at Davidson Funeral Home on Thursday, July 3, 2014 at 2:00 pm. Interment will follow in the Grantville Cemetery. Mr. Brown will lie in state at the funeral home after 1:00 pm Wednesday where the family will receive friends from 6:30-7:30 pm. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association and sent in care of Davidson Funeral Home, 1035 N. Kansas Ave, Topeka, Kansas 66608. To leave a message for the family please visit www.davidsonfuneral.com