Don Wilson Brown passed away peacefully in Billings, Montana on September 27, 2022 after a short illness. He was born on December 5, 1935 at the family ranch with his Grandmother Gerda Rorvick as the midwife. He was preceded in death by his wife Carol Brown; mother, Astrid (Rorvick) Brown; father, Dalton Brown, and sister, Myrna Frye. He is survived by his daughter Tammie Brown Butler (Jeff), son Tracy Brown (Anna-Lena), and grandchildren Duston Butler, Nichlas Brown, and Emma Brown.
Don was born and raised on a rural homestead on Shade Creek in McCone County, the Quarter Circle DB. He attended grade school at Illmont School where his mom was the teacher. The two-room school house still stands, barely, as a reminder of an era gone by. To continue his education, he left the ranch to attend Wolf Point High School, graduating in 1953, while living in a boarding house under the care and supervision of Ruby and Melvin Lingle. Many an adventure came from his high school experiences and colorful stories of friendship, fly-ins, country school dances, and late-night excursions with a fair amount of mischief mixed in.
Over his life he worked many different jobs including construction, spray pilot, aircraft mechanic, truck driver and cowboy/rancher. Don strived to be an excellent “hand” at whatever job he performed but his true passion was flying. He was granted his pilot’s license the day he turned sixteen and proudly wore the badge of “youngest pilot in the state of Montana” for a time. He spent several years as a spray pilot before moving to Helena to attend aircraft mechanic school. This is where he met and married Carol in 1957 and where they lived and raised their family until 1991 when they relocated to Fort Peck to assist on the family ranch. The ranch is where Don was truly the happiest, as his heart was always in Eastern Montana. He would marvel at the sunrises coming over the buttes and would end his day listening to the mourning doves while sitting on the bunkhouse porch. He considered Willis Butte to be his church and would climb to the top to talk to God.
Don was a naturalist, and while living at and managing the ranch he strictly enforced a walk-in only policy for hunters and visitors. He would point out the mailman’s route across the prairie from 80 years ago as an example of preserving the land and minimizing human disruption. It was this philosophy that propelled his active opposition to the Keystone Pipeline as it would have crossed several miles of the ranch property, causing significant damage to the range. He often said “farmers and ranchers were environmentalists before environmentalists had a name”.
Don and Carol were best friends during their 64 years together, thoroughly enjoying each other’s sense of humor and engaging in fun filled “Brown Banter”. They lived each day with a deep love for one another and shared values of honesty, hard work, integrity, loyalty and commitment to family and friends. They were rarely seen without one another, unless it was quilting, playing poker machines, or shopping for bananas! Several friends have offered that Dad died of a broken heart, missing Carol so.
Don will be forever remembered for his sense of humor, his story telling, and his kind and generous heart. He was rarely seen without his cowboy hat and distinctive beard (often mistaken for Santa Clause by young children). He was proud of his heritage and would celebrate St. Paddy’s Day with enthusiasm and recognition that the Brown’s shared an Irish independence and orneriness, as well as his Scandinavian traits of common sense and frugality.
Memorial Services and celebrations for Don will be held in Glasgow and Fort Peck during the summer of 2023. In lieu of flowers the family has requested that donations be made in Don’s name to the Rheumatology Research Foundation or the Northern Plains Resource Council. Condolences may be made to the family at bellmortuarymontana.com.
The family would like to thank the community of Fort Peck, Don’s wonderful friends and neighbors that he relied on in his final years, as well as the staff at Francis Mahon and St Vincent’s Hospital for the care they provided in his final days.
Service Schedule
Celebration of His Life
11:00 a.m.
Saturday September 30, 2023
Bell Mortuary
701 2nd Avenue South
Glasgow, Montana 59230
Burial
12:30 p.m.
Saturday September 30, 2023
Fort Peck Cemetery
S. Big Horn
Fort Peck, Montana 59223
Funeral Reception
1:00 p.m.
Saturday September 30, 2023
Fort Peck Hotel
175 Missouri Avenue
Fort Peck, Montana 59223
Service Schedule
Celebration of His Life
11:00 a.m.
Saturday September 30, 2023
Bell Mortuary
701 2nd Avenue South
Glasgow, Montana 59230
Burial
12:30 p.m.
Saturday September 30, 2023
Fort Peck Cemetery
S. Big Horn
Fort Peck, Montana 59223
Funeral Reception
1:00 p.m.
Saturday September 30, 2023
Fort Peck Hotel
175 Missouri Avenue
Fort Peck, Montana 59223
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scott taylor says
Oh no!…My memories of Don run strong and deep….I also come from a long line of Shade Creek characters myself..with my Mother going to school just down the road ….I loved going hunting at Don’s since his Dad Dalton owned it over 50 years ago…No trip to Shade Creek was complete without an afternoon’s worth of homespun humor…that was well spent in his company….Don…I’m gonna miss you..thank you for your friendship…and your true kindred spirit we shared of that beautiful bad land country you called home….Adios until I spot you on that high ridge…Scott
Dava cameron says
Don is my only uncle ,he will be missed dearly, as with my only aunte Carol , fly like an Eagle, your spirit ‘s carry me. Love and miss you both so much. Dava
Geoff & MarySue Iverson says
Don and Carol were our dear friends and our guides to all things “Montana”. Don was our link to and longtime caretaker of Geoff’s grandfather’s homesteaded land on Shade Creek Road. He shared with our family his passion for the care of the land as well as his love for his family and friends.
The stories he shared with us about his father’s land and our grandfather’s land as well as their relationship over the years were remarkable.
On our visits to Fort Peck and the ranch, Don proudly walked us out on to the properties that had been homesteaded by them and showed us the original threshold that would have led into our grandfather’s old cabin.
We will miss Don. We will always treasure and will never be able to replace that valuable connection Don had to our grandfather and the shared Montana past.
Lauren Murphy says
Tammie and Tracy~
I taught at Rossiter when your mom was there and knew your dad, too. They were great people! Your mom was so good to me as a new teacher at Rossiter and continued over the years to be a good friend. My thoughts are with you and your families.
Lauren Murphy
Janet Henning says
Tammie, I am so sorry for your great loss. His love of his family and love of the land will live on forever. Hugs to all of you as you grieve the loss of a great man.
Janet
Missy says
Happy Birthday Don!! This human impacted my life in such a positive way. I spent summers at my Grandpa Wilson’s in Helena. Don and Carol lived next door for years and he always welcomed me and was willing to pass on some wisdom and laughs. I admired and respected him so so much and will never ever forget those Rubik’s Cube skills. Love you.
Barb Harbaugh Morgan & family says
Tammie, Tracy and families,
I am so sorry to hear that your Dad and Grandfather passed away. I know how difficult to say goodbye. May all the stories and memories comfort you.