Jim Edward Brown

James (Jim) Edward Brown , 86, passed away on Monday July 28, 2014, at Idaho Falls, Idaho.

Jim was born on August 24, 1927, at Rinard Mills, Ohio.  He is the second child of six children born to Samuel M. Brown and Blanche Lallathin Brown.  As a boy he enjoyed sports, hunting and the country life.  Occasionally, he skipped school to plow with horses.

Toward the end of World War II, he enlisted with the Navy at age 18 before completing high school.  While stationed in Hawaii, he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Christmas day in 1946.  After two years in the Navy, he moved to Ogden, Utah and attended Weber College.  Jim then served a two year church mission to the Central Atlantic States.  He attended BYU then finished his bachelor's degree at William and Mary College in Virginia.  With his degree in elementary education, he moved to Ogden, Utah, and taught school.

With a group of friends he went ice skating where a lovely young women picked him up, many times. She was Leona Gibb who was in nursing school and they were married on October 12, 1955, in the Logan Utah Temple.

He loved young people and taught elementary school for 35 years while living in Ohio, Utah, Washington and Idaho. He loved the Lord, His gospel, was very active in church and served in over 53 different callings including six bishoprics.

He and Leona raised their six children mainly in Kennewick, Washington.  He enjoyed sports, family camping, road trips, raising horses and family activities.  Jim loved learning, was a gospel scholar, and enjoyed good western novels and history.

The family moved to Rexburg in 1979, where he continued teaching and Leona worked in the Ricks College Health Center.  In 1984, they purchased the June Harker home in Shelley and drove to Rexburg for five years until they retired.  They lived in their country home for 27 years.  He and Leona served two missions, one to Ohio and one at the family history center and later served in the temple.  Birthdays, holidays, and reunions were always special occasions for three generations of Browns.

In 2011, due to failing health, they moved to Utah for two years, then returned to Idaho where Jim resided at Turtle and Crane care center.

Jim is survived by his wife (Leona) and six children. Valerie Harker (Bill) Shelley,ID, Maurine Meredith (Lee) Bluffdale, UT, Kevin Brown (Kathy) Kalamath Falls, Oregon, Kirk Brown (Julie) West Jordan, UT, Cindy Johnson (Dale) South Jordan, UT, and Gary Brown (Rena) Lehi, UT.  He has twenty eight grandchildren, and thirty seven great grandchildren.   He is survived by a brother Carl Brown, (Marlene) Kennewick, WA, two sisters Dorthy Dubois, Newark, Ohio, and Doris Jones (Jerry)  Newark, Ohio.

He is proceeded in death by his parents, one brother, and one sister.

Funeral services will be held 1 pm Saturday, August 2, 2014 at the Jameston Ward Chapel (1250 North 1101 East) in Shelley.  The family will receive friends Friday evening from 7 to 8:30 pm and Saturday from 11:30 to 12:40 both at the church.  Interment will be in the Taylor Cemetery.