Leonard A. Brown

Leonard Alexander Brown, 94, passed away Sunday, October 2, 2005 at St. Francis Home, Fond du Lac. He was born October 7, 1910 in Forest Township, a son of Anna Marie (Leonard) and John Henry Brown. He was the fourth son in a family of five sons and three daughters He attended St. Michael's Catholic Grade School and rural public schools in the Town of Empire. He married Mary Catherine Costello at St. John's Catholic Church in Byron on November 30, 1939. They were parents of one son Robert Leonard and two daughters, Cathleen Ann Sanders, Watertown, and Jane Ellen Roughen, Madison. In his early years, Leonard worked on the family farm; assisted his father in a trucking business; was employed on the Albert Immel farm; and later became herdsman on his uncle Dr. Charles W. Leonard's farm. The majority of his working life was an independent oil route salesman, affiliated with O'Connor Oil Company; he sold his business and retired in 1975. He then resumed employment with O'Connor Oil Company, in various capacities. In 1984, he was named Older Worker of the Year for the Fond du Lac area. He retired again in 1990. The Leonard Browns lived near or in Fond du Lac for most of their lives. Leonard and Mary Catherine moved to Watertown in 1997, residing at Heritage Homes, an independent living complex for seniors. There, Leonard was honored by his friends for his volunteer activities. Leonard and Mary Catherine moved to St. Francis Terrace, Fond du Lac, in July 2005. He was a member of St. Mary's and, more recently, of St. Joseph's Catholic Churches. He was preceded in death by his parents; by his son, Robert Leonard, 23, in December of 1963; by his father and mother-in-law Daniel Augustine and Sarah Genevieve (Meade) Costello; by his brothers Clarence Robert, John Anthony, Willard Michael, and Edward Franklin; by one sister, Anna Marie Goebel; by his brothers-in-law, Robert Emmett Doherty and John Thomas Costello; by his sisters-in-law, Dorothy Anna Hulda Brown, Frances Marie Brown, Alice Mary Costello and Monica Ann Costello; by his brothers-in- law, Robert Emmett Doherty and John Thomas Costello; by a nephew Michael Anthony Costello and by a niece Susan Jane Costello; and by many friends. He is survived by his wife of sixty five years; by his daughters and by sons-in-law John David Sanders and Douglas Howard Roughen; by grandchildren JoAnne Cathryn Sanders Jaehnke (Greg), Angela Christine Sanders (Paul Krejcarek), Nora Kathleen Roughen (Jason Schmidt) and Hugh Robert Roughen; by one great granddaughter, Alyssa Jolene Jaehnke; by two sisters, Lucille Dorothy Will and Mary Margaret Doherty; by brothers- in-law Donald Goebel, Celestine J Will and James Daniel Costello; by sisters-in-law, Marie Selma Brown and Betty Jane Costello; by numerous nIeces, nephews and grand and great grand nieces and nephews; and by many friends. Leonard Brown was quite active and vigorous until only recently; he enjoyed others guessing his age as at least ten years younger. While he fondly remembered horse and buggy days, he was involved in today; Leonard was, for example, delighted to find his newborn great granddaughter's photo on the Web. He always had a kind word for others and possessed a terrific sense of often-subtle humor. His was a steady presence; he was a devoted husband and an exemplary family man. He is sadly missed.



Visitation and Remembrance will take place at St. Francis Chapel, 33 Everett Street, from 2:30 to 4:00 pm on Friday, October 7. Fathers Brian Thomas Braun OFM Cap, and Mark Joseph Costello OFM Cap, will concelebrate a Mass of Christian Burial at 4:00 pm. Refreshments will follow in the Gathering Space at St. Francis Terrace. Burial will take place at Calvary Cemetery at a later date. Uecker-Witt Funeral Home is serving the family.