Fern Marie Brown

Fern M. Brown, 94 of Aledo, formerly of Joy, Joliet and Argenta, died Monday, May 1, 2006 at the Mercer County Nursing Home. Services will be Thursday at 2:00 PM at Speer Funeral Home, Aledo. Visitation is one hour prior to services. Burial will be in Aledo Cemetery, with Fern’s grandchildren as pallbearers. Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church of Aledo. Fern was born on January 1, 1912 in Kirkwood, IL to James O. & Ferrol M. ( Kerr) Milligan. She married Ivan Clair Brown on July 11, 1931 in Oquawka, IL. He preceded her in death on March 7, 1974. Education was important to Fern. She was the Warren County 8th Grade Valedictorian and she was a 1927 graduate of Biggsville High School. She attended the University of Illinois and received the Lindley Lifetime Scholarship toward higher education. She attended the University to become a librarian. She was appointed the first librarian of Friends Creek Public Library in Argenta. She was librarian for 16 years, retiring in 1979. She also enjoyed reading, quilting and gardening in her younger years. Fern lead her family to Christ and her faith was an important part of her life. She was a former member of the Joy Presbyterian Church; Judson Memorial Baptist Church in Joliet and the First Baptist Church, Aledo and had been Sunday School Superintendent and Deaconess in her churches in younger years. She was a faithful wife; a devoted and honorable mother and grandmother and active in their lives by being past president of the Cook School PTA, Galesburg; past Secretary of the Shelbyville PTA; a 4-H leader , Joy, IL and a member of the Mercer County Home Extension. Those left to honor Ferns memory include her children and spouses: Wanda Lea Blair of Aledo; Cynthia Mae & Dr. Robert Hampton of Joliet, IL and James Ira & Virginia Brown of Tullahoma, TN; 2 sisters and spouses: Violet Testman of Keokuk, IA; Barbara & James Clinton of Warsaw, IL and a brother, Chester G. Milligan of Keokuk. Also surviving are 12 grandchildren and many great and great-great-grandchildren. Fern was preceded in death by her parents; husband; step-son and spouse, Stanley & Maxine Brown.sisters, Darleen Garrett, Vera James, Shirley Milligan and Jean Doran; brothers, Ralph & Wilford Milligan; step-granddaughter, Susan Honeycutt; 2 great-grandsons, Leon Krueger and Stephen Blayne Brown, Jr.