Obituary for Marie Ann Brown
Celebration of Life for Marie and Charlie is set for Saturday, June 3, 2023 at the Lions Park, in Watertown, SD. The celebration will be from 1-4:00pm with a Time of Sharing starting at 2:00pm. Please dress casual and comfortable and come to celebrate!
On Friday January 6, 2023, our Heavenly Father called our mom, Marie Brown, home to be with him.
She was a beautiful 72 year old.
Marie Ann was born April 12, 1950 in Watertown, South Dakota to Arwood “Boyen” and Alice (Walker) Ladwig. She grew up in the country near Bryant, South Dakota and graduated from Bryant High School in 1968. During high school, she worked at the Leftys Bakery.
After high school, Marie attended Cosmetology school in Watertown. Even though she didn’t take on cosmetology as a profession, she was always willing to give anyone a haircut or perm. Us children never saw an actual salon until we were adults!
Marie met Charles “Charlie” Brown at a family reunion and Charlie would travel to Bryant from Canada on the weekends to see Marie. On January 4th 1969 in Bryant, South Dakota Marie and Charlie were united in marriage. The couple made their home in Watertown and were blessed with three children, Craig, Kellie and Cory.
Marie was employed at the Scott’s Motel in Watertown and later worked full time at the Memorial Hospital nursing home. She later transferred to Prairie Lakes Hospital where she worked various roles. She thrived as a telemetry technician/medical secretary as she enjoyed her work not to mention the fun she had with her coworkers/friends. Later she went to work in the business office at the hospital, where she finished out her working career.
Marie loved everyone and was loved by all; with Marie, being her friend meant always and forever being loved by her. No one was a stranger to Marie, just friends she hadn’t met yet!
Marie had a LOVE for all things PURPLE, Elvis, Princess Di, wolves and Winnie-the-Pooh (her heart was with her favorite character, Eeyore). Ironically, not only did she marry and spend her life with Charlie Brown, she collected Charles Schultz “Peanuts” memorabilia (Charlie Brown and Snoopy).
Her hobbies were reading (she would spend hours at the library), thrifting (and more hours at Goodwill) and crafting scrapbooks. The scrapbook of Marie’s life will forever be etched in our hearts.
Marie and Charlie spent many weekends camping at Lake Pelican with their children. As a family they took several enjoyable trips to Canada. She used to travel on the Amtrak to see her children in Wisconsin and Montana. Marie’s grandchildren and great grandchildren were just as important as her children, and even though they were spread out across the country. She made sure to have a card and gift in the mail for every holiday and birthday. When the grandchildren and great grandchildren would visit, she enjoyed every minute with them.
Left to cherish her memory are her children, Craig (Karen) Brown of Watertown, SD; Kellie (Johnny) Fette of Tucson, AZ; and Cory (Michelle) Brown of Wyandotte, MI; her siblings, Donna Johnson of Bryant, SD; Garry Ladwig of Bryant, SD; Leland Ladwig of Watertown, SD and Sandra (Randy) Finstad of Bradley, SD; brother-in-law, Roger Reynolds of Hayti, SD; her grandchildren, Bailee Brown of Sturgis, SD; Jacob VanVallis, Jordan VanVallis, Justin VanVallis, all of Missoua, MT; Mercedes Jarabek of Janesville, WI; Casey Fette of Pierre, SD; Myah Fette and Noah Fette of Tucson, AZ; Josh Manthei of Wyandotte, MI. Great grandchildren, Adalyn of Sturgis, SD; Scarlett, Cordelia, Casey Jr. of Pierre, SD, as well as many nieces and nephews.
Welcoming home in heaven are her parents; sister, Barbara Reynolds; Gary Crook (her sister Donna’s true love); and waiting for her husband Charlie of 53 years to follow her home (which he did two days later).
Footprints
One night I had a dream.
I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Scenes from my life flashed across the sky and
I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
one belonging to me and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I recalled that at the lowest and saddest times of my
life there was only one set of footprints.
Dismayed I asked "Lord, you said that once
I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way.
Why at the troublesome times of my life,
the times I needed you most would you leave me?"
The Lord replied, "My precious child, I love you and
would never leave you. During your times of trial and
suffering when you saw only one set of footprints,
that was when I carried you."
On Friday January 6, 2023, our Heavenly Father called our mom, Marie Brown, home to be with him.
She was a beautiful 72 year old.
Marie Ann was born April 12, 1950 in Watertown, South Dakota to Arwood “Boyen” and Alice (Walker) Ladwig. She grew up in the country near Bryant, South Dakota and graduated from Bryant High School in 1968. During high school, she worked at the Leftys Bakery.
After high school, Marie attended Cosmetology school in Watertown. Even though she didn’t take on cosmetology as a profession, she was always willing to give anyone a haircut or perm. Us children never saw an actual salon until we were adults!
Marie met Charles “Charlie” Brown at a family reunion and Charlie would travel to Bryant from Canada on the weekends to see Marie. On January 4th 1969 in Bryant, South Dakota Marie and Charlie were united in marriage. The couple made their home in Watertown and were blessed with three children, Craig, Kellie and Cory.
Marie was employed at the Scott’s Motel in Watertown and later worked full time at the Memorial Hospital nursing home. She later transferred to Prairie Lakes Hospital where she worked various roles. She thrived as a telemetry technician/medical secretary as she enjoyed her work not to mention the fun she had with her coworkers/friends. Later she went to work in the business office at the hospital, where she finished out her working career.
Marie loved everyone and was loved by all; with Marie, being her friend meant always and forever being loved by her. No one was a stranger to Marie, just friends she hadn’t met yet!
Marie had a LOVE for all things PURPLE, Elvis, Princess Di, wolves and Winnie-the-Pooh (her heart was with her favorite character, Eeyore). Ironically, not only did she marry and spend her life with Charlie Brown, she collected Charles Schultz “Peanuts” memorabilia (Charlie Brown and Snoopy).
Her hobbies were reading (she would spend hours at the library), thrifting (and more hours at Goodwill) and crafting scrapbooks. The scrapbook of Marie’s life will forever be etched in our hearts.
Marie and Charlie spent many weekends camping at Lake Pelican with their children. As a family they took several enjoyable trips to Canada. She used to travel on the Amtrak to see her children in Wisconsin and Montana. Marie’s grandchildren and great grandchildren were just as important as her children, and even though they were spread out across the country. She made sure to have a card and gift in the mail for every holiday and birthday. When the grandchildren and great grandchildren would visit, she enjoyed every minute with them.
Left to cherish her memory are her children, Craig (Karen) Brown of Watertown, SD; Kellie (Johnny) Fette of Tucson, AZ; and Cory (Michelle) Brown of Wyandotte, MI; her siblings, Donna Johnson of Bryant, SD; Garry Ladwig of Bryant, SD; Leland Ladwig of Watertown, SD and Sandra (Randy) Finstad of Bradley, SD; brother-in-law, Roger Reynolds of Hayti, SD; her grandchildren, Bailee Brown of Sturgis, SD; Jacob VanVallis, Jordan VanVallis, Justin VanVallis, all of Missoua, MT; Mercedes Jarabek of Janesville, WI; Casey Fette of Pierre, SD; Myah Fette and Noah Fette of Tucson, AZ; Josh Manthei of Wyandotte, MI. Great grandchildren, Adalyn of Sturgis, SD; Scarlett, Cordelia, Casey Jr. of Pierre, SD, as well as many nieces and nephews.
Welcoming home in heaven are her parents; sister, Barbara Reynolds; Gary Crook (her sister Donna’s true love); and waiting for her husband Charlie of 53 years to follow her home (which he did two days later).
Footprints
One night I had a dream.
I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Scenes from my life flashed across the sky and
I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
one belonging to me and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I recalled that at the lowest and saddest times of my
life there was only one set of footprints.
Dismayed I asked "Lord, you said that once
I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way.
Why at the troublesome times of my life,
the times I needed you most would you leave me?"
The Lord replied, "My precious child, I love you and
would never leave you. During your times of trial and
suffering when you saw only one set of footprints,
that was when I carried you."