BROWN, Richard Allyn 1937-2009

BROWN, DENGLER, BENSON, RALSTON, HERR, FOSTER, ROETTGER, NEUENFELDT

Posted By: S. Bell
Date: 1/31/2011 at 17:56:00

ITEM 1
[Waterloo Courier, Tuesday, July 21, 2009]

HUDSON - Richard "Dick" Brown, 72, of Hudson, died Saturday, July 18, at Allen Hospital, Waterloo, of cancer.

He was born Jan. 19, 1937, in Waterloo, son of Ralph and Esther Dengler Brown. He married Marie Ralston on Oct. 5, 1958, in Waterloo, and they were later divorced. He married Marie Linda Benson on Feb 18, 1971, in Traer.

Mr. Brown graduated from Hudson High School in 1955 and attended Creston Junior College and the University of Northern Iowa. He worked as a plumber before starting his own business, Hudson Plumbing and Heating, in 1968. He established Heritage Farm, a horse farming, public tours, parties and livery farm, in 1980. He had served in the Army Guard and was a member of Percheron Horse Association of America, Iowa Draft Horse and Mule Association, Hudson AMVETS, and was inducted into the Iowa Horseman's Hall of Fame in 2004.

Survived by: his wife; three sons, Jeff (Cheryl) of Hudson, Todd (Penny) of Ankeny and Benjamin (Kris) of Dayton, Ohio; four daughters, Suzanne (Craig) Herr of West Des Moines, Joanna Brown and Gretchen Brown, both Waterloo, Julie (Brent) Foster of Overland Park, Kan., and Jodie Roettger of Cedar Falls; 14 grandchildren, Brianne, Kylie and Cody Brown, Connor and Alexis Brown, Johnathan, Trevor and Jessica Brown, Blake, Beau and Brooke Foster, Jonathan Roettger, Jacob and Katie Herr; a brother-in-law, Mel Neuenfeldt of Buckeye; and an aunt, Verna Mae Dengler of Cedar Falls.

Preceded in death by: a sister, Dolores Neuenfeldt.

Services: 11 a.m. Friday at Community Church of Hudson, with burial in Hudson Cemetery, followed by a luncheon at the church. Public visitation from 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Locke Funeral Home, Waterloo.

Memorials: may be directed to Heritage Farms, in lieu of flowers.

ITEM 2

[Waterloo Courier, Tuesday, July 23, 2009]

Family, friends remember Heritage Farm owner

HUDSON - He was known for bringing "city slickers" to his farm, taking them out on a horse-drawn ride and serving them a home-cooked meal while he told "Ole and Lena" jokes.

But Dick Brown's soft spot was saved for his animals, particularly his beloved Percheron draft horses who plowed and worked Heritage Farm for nearly 30 years.

"He liked the actual farming, the cutting of the hay and driving his horses - that was his love," said Brown's daughter, Jodie Roettger of Cedar Falls.

Richard "Dick" Brown, 72, of Hudson, died Saturday at Allen Hospital in Waterloo after a four-year battle with blood cancer. A visitation will take place from 3 to 8 p.m. today at Locke Funeral Home in Waterloo.

A funeral procession at 9:30 a.m. will feature 21 horses pulling 11 vehicles, including Brown's hearse, to the 11 a.m. Friday service at Community Church of Hudson.

Jeff Brown of Hudson said his father's love of horses began early.

"He had a pony named Prince when he was a little kid, and he rode Prince all the time," he said.

A 1955 graduate of Hudson High School, Brown started out as a plumber and owned Hudson Plumbing and Heating for a time.

In 1980, Brown and his wife, Marie, started Heritage Farm on their property, inviting community and motorcoach tours out to take buggy rides through the woods, pet the animals and play in the century-old barn.

Lonnie Elmore, director of sales at the Waterloo Convention and Visitors Bureau, has booked out-of-town groups to visit Heritage Farm for years because of the couple's hospitality.

"Dick and Marie Brown come in and talk to the group - 'we started the farm this many years ago, have this many horses,'" she said. "They made the people feel like they were just family."

Dick Brown and his wife were more than just friendly faces, said longtime Heritage Farm volunteer Shelly Tix of Waterloo.

"The guy (worked) from the crack of dawn until the crack of dawn," she said. "Out there, they always made sure the animals were fed before they ate. … He was just an awesome, awesome guy."

Roettger said it's likely Heritage Farm will continue to be operational, including the popular Breakfast with Santa and Bunny Brunch rides.

"Our intention is to still have the tours. I think that's what he would have wanted," she said. "This farm is my mom and dad's dream."