BROWNS, Martha 1942-2016

BROWNS, COIL

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 4/24/2017 at 17:18:38

Martha Browns, 74, of Conrad, IA passed away Sunday, October, 16, 2016 at Unity Point St. Luke's Hospital, in Cedar Rapids, IA. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m., Friday, October 21, 2016, at First Presbyterian Church, in Conrad. Visitation will be 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Thursday, October 20, 2016, at the Conrad Chapel of the Anderson Funeral Homes.

Martha Rebecca (Coil) Browns was born on July 10, 1942 to Harvey and Mildred Coil in Lakeland, Florida. She went peacefully to be with her Savior Jesus on Sunday October 16, 2016 with family at her side. Her family moved from Florida to Iowa and Martha grew up around the Marshalltown and Conrad areas. She worked at Kiowa, where she met her husband to be Billy Joe Browns. They were married on December 28, 1968 at the Marshalltown Church of the Nazarene and moved to Le Grand a short time later. Faith and family were extremely important to both Martha and Billy Joe, and together they raised their 4 children: Jennifer, Rita, Megan and Joel. Martha held secretarial and other part time jobs in order to help the family, but her main priority was being a housewife and mother. Learning and helping others were also important to Martha, so she went back to college later in life where she worked to earn a degree in Social Work. Billy worked for the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, so when it was taken over by Union Pacific, they moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where they remained until Billy retired. Upon retiring, Martha and Billy Joe decided to move back to Iowa to be closer to grandchildren, settling in Conrad. She helped babysit the grandchildren when they were young and attended as many concerts, school events, and sporting events as she could. Martha was a kind woman who never met a stranger. She was an avid reader, many times staying up all night to finish reading a book that she just couldn’t put down. She loved to go to the Conrad Library to visit with her friends while they worked on puzzles. While she didn’t actually do the jigsaw puzzles herself, she enjoyed reading the newspaper and visiting with her friends while they puzzled. She loved to do crosswords in her spare time and also enjoyed going swimming at the YMCA. She was saddened when her physical health prevented her from being able to continue her exercise there. She liked to eat lunch at the Assisted Living in Conrad and often stayed to play BINGO with her friends there on Fridays. Martha was a “people-person” and could often be seen riding her scooter around town to get out and socialize with others. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church, and loved to be in church as often as she was able.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 44 years, both parents, an infant brother John, sister Naomi, brother Carl, and sister Ruth.

Left to cherish her memory is a family who deeply loved her, including her children and their spouses, Jen (Rod) Hoveland, rural Beaman, Rita (Tony) Vis, Cedar Rapids, Megan (Joey) Candillo, Independence MO, Joel (Kristen) Browns, Grundy Center, as well as grandchildren, sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, many nieces and nephews, and some good friends. Grandchildren were a special joy to both Martha and Billy Joe. The grandkids are Brandon (Brooke) Vis, Brianna (Drew) Brown, Mariah and Ashley Vis, Ethan, Mason, Kaitlyn, and Emma Hoveland, Maleah and Elianna Browns, Caitlyn, Josiah, Grace, Madison, and Jaxon Candillo. Martha was also blessed to have two great-grandchildren, Memphis and Landrie Vis.

--Anderson Funeral Homes (www.andersonfhs.com)