1919-2012

March 4, 2012

Chester Lawrence Brown departed this world for the next one on Sunday morning, March 4, 2012 at his home in St. David, with his wife by his side.

He was born in Duncan, Ariz. on Dec. 29, 1919, the 11th of 13 children. Most of his growing up years were spent in Chuichupa, Colonia Juarez and Colonia Dublan, Mexico, where he attended school. He also attended Mansfield Junior High School in Tucson while living with a brother, and graduated from Brigham Young High School in Provo, Utah.

When the family moved to Pomerene, he met and married Clea Curtis, his wife for 70 years. Chester served in World War II, in the U.S. Navy, as a gunnery instructor. Following the war, he came back to Pomerene, where he purchased a small dairy farm and he and Clea raised their family. Later, he worked for Arizona Department of Transportation, and he and Clea moved to St. David, where they had a small farm, raising crops and later cattle.

Chester was always a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served as Bishop of the Pomerene Ward for four years, and he and Clea served as missionaries in Florida in the early 1980s. They served together as workers in the Mesa, Arizona Temple for 11 years. He and Clea also served several times as stake missionaries, serving in Elfrida and Tombstone.

Chester was preceded in death by his parents and all of his siblings. He is survived by his wife, Clea Curtis Brown. He is also survived by his six children: Spencer (Jeanine), James (Terry), Curtis (Sheryl), Marial Mortenson (Dale), Mark (Emalene), and Randall (Judy), 44 grandchildren and 84 great-grandchildren.

Chester will always be remembered by family and friends for his sense of humor. He will be missed by all who knew him.

Services will be held in the LDS chapel in St. David on Saturday, March 10, 2012. Visitation will be at 9 a.m. and funeral services will be at 10 a.m.

Interment will be in the Pomerene Cemetery. Ar-rangements by Richardson’s Remembrance Center, Benson.