R. G. Brown Dies Sunday; Rites Today
A longtime Waseca businessman, Rodney G. Brown, died at 8 p. m. Sunday at his home at 216 East Elm Ave. after an illness of six months. He was 64 years old.
Funeral services will be held today (Wednesday) with family services at the home at 11 a. m. followed by rites at Grace Lutheran church at 2 p. m., the Rev. Robert Kompelien in charge. Interment will follow at Woodville.
L. R. Peterson, Robert Degman, Donald C. Brown, Leonard Jensen, Millard Clasen, Waseca, and Harry Lindgren, Owatonna, will be pallbearers. Honorary bearers are Emerson C. Ward, Paul Stucky, Henry Gallagher, Dr. B. J. Gallagher, Erick Sjostrand and John Seashore.
Rodney George Brown was born in Waseca October 21, 1893, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter S. Brown. He graduated from Central high school and Coyne Trade School, Chicago, Ill.
He was the proprietor of the R. G. Brown Co., electrical contractors and appliance merchants. The firm was expanded from a small electrical repair business to a large contracting business under the guidance of Mr. Brown. A few of the buildings completely wired by the firm were the Library, Fine Arts building and two dormitories at Carleton college, Library, Thorson Hall and one dormitory at St. Olaf college, Geriatrics buildings at state hospitals in Rochester and St. Peter and the daily newspapers at both Rochester and Winona. In recent months Mr. Brown formed a partnership in the business with his son-in-law, Tom Cliff.
In the recent school bond study, Rodney Brown served as sub-committee chairman.
On October 21, 1914, his 21st birthday, Rodney Brown married the former Vera Jeanette Larson at the home of her parents in Waseca.
Survivors include his wife, his step-mother, Mrs. Mary Brown, Waseca, three daughters, Mrs. Wayne R. Brown and Mrs. T. K. Cliff, Waseca; and Mrs. Robert Sheeran, Minneapolis; ten grandchildren, a brother, Ned, and a half-sister, Mrs. R. C. Mishek, both of Waseca.
Waseca Journal 5-21-1958
Contributed by S. R. Allen