Clear, 68° F
(Sept. 1, 2006)
A former Powell resident, Frances Johnson Brown, 96, died Friday, Sept. 1 in Wildomar, Calif.
Memorial services were held in Wildomar Monday, Sept. 4, and graveside service and dedication of final resting place will be at the Lovell Cemetery at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 9.
She was born Feb. 19, 1910, in Colgate, Steele County, N.D., to Lewis and Fannie Roney, the ninth of 10 children. She moved with her family by railroad car to a farm at Powell in 1917. She graduated from Powell High School in 1927.
She started Normal Training School, intending to become a schoolteacher, but fell in love with Glenn (Penny) Johnson, and they were married July 17, 1928. To this union were born two sons, Keith Edward and Glenn Robert, and two daughters, Diana R. and Inez R.
Frances was Grand Madam President of the Wyoming State Eagles Auxiliary. She was the drill captain and marched with the auxiliary drill team for many years in several states.
She and her family were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Penny and Frances became semi-retired from farming and ranching about 30 years ago and spent their winters in southern California and summers in Yellowstone Park.
Frances was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Glenn in 1989; son, Keith; her parents; and all her brothers and sisters. About two years after being widowed, she became reacquainted with an old high school friend and was married to Virgil Brown. Unfortunately, her time with Virgil was short, as they had one day less than a year together.
In 2000, Frances celebrated her 90th birthday and shortly thereafter moved in with her daughter Inez and husband, Dale McLane, in Costa Mesa, Calif. In the spring of 2005, she moved with Inez’s family to Wildomar, Calif.
Her survivors include her three children, Bob, Diana and Inez; eight grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and six great-great grandchildren.
