Roy George BROWN, Jr., M.D.

BROWN, PACKARD, DEERING, VIELE, MAUSER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:06:48

Roy G. Brown, Jr., M.D.
January 14, 1921 --- October 29, 2019

World War II Veteran and prominent member of America's Greatest Generation, Roy George Brown, Jr., of Port Angeles, departed to Heaven on Tuesday, October 29, 2019, at age 98. Age-related heart and progressive kidney failure concluded his life on this earth.

Born January 14, 1921, in Belmond, Iowa, to Roy (Sr.) and Eva (Packard) Brown, Baby Roy already had three sisters and gained a little brother a few years later. His father was a veterinarian, and the family soon moved to rural Onawa, Iowa, where Roy grew up.

During the Great Depression, Roy's father was often paid for his veterinary services in non-monetary currencies such as chickens, eggs, milk, and cream because local farmers didn't have much in the way of dollars.

So, Roy got a job in the small town's hardware store six days a week to help support his large family. Typically he would walk to and open the store at 7 AM, turn on the boiler, stock a few shelves, and get the place warmed up by the time the owner arrived for the day. Then he would walk to school. After school and before heading home, he would return to the store for a few more hours till closing, and remain behind to sweep the floor and do general cleaning, stocking, and lock-up. Mother would keep supper warm for him.

On Saturdays, one would find him at the store most all day doing his best to earn a few precious dollars for his family. Roy was 11 years old, and was often the family's main source of income providing just two or three dollars (all of his earnings) per week for the family. Life was hard then, but he and his siblings had a happy and productive childhood.

He attended medical school at Creighton University, in Omaha, Nebraska, under the V-12 Program supporting the nation's World War II effort. Graduation, in 1944, awarded him a medical degree at 23 years of age and a U.S. Navy commission as a medical officer along with subsequent deployment to U.S. Naval Base Hospital 15 in the Admiralty Islands, somewhere way out in the vast Pacific Ocean.

Caring for wounded sailors and marines, he also routinely treated ill members of the local civilian population during his off-duty time, as part of the Navy's humanitarian outreach there.

Roy and his fellow doctors brought to the community a relatively new and revolutionary antibiotic called penicillin, and used this wonder drug to cure all kinds of serious infections, and he certainly saved quite a few lives. The locals loved him and brought him fresh bananas and other indigenous fruits each week.

As an additional duty, Roy conducted health inspections on commercial ships anchored in port. He would board a ship by climbing the Jacob's Ladder up the side of the vessel with his doctor's bag in tow, and then treat any ill crew members and passengers on aboard.

After the war, he returned to Onawa, Iowa, where he joined the medical practice belonging to Dr. John Deering. Roy ended up marrying that doctor's daughter, Joyce, and they later had a daughter, Hallie. But the marriage ended in divorce after three years. Joyce retained custody of their child, and Roy moved west into Nebraska. During subsequent years, he always loved the times when Hallie would come visit him during the summers as she grew up. They maintained a wonderful and lasting father-daughter relationship.

At Crawford in the western Nebraska panhandle, he began a private practice in ranch country; he enjoyed learning the skills of a wrangler as well, and developed a lifelong love of horses and the cowboy way of life.

Soon, in nearby Harrison, he met a lovely young woman, Cherie Viele, who had recently graduated from the University of Nebraska with a pharmacy degree, and was working in her family's local drug store. Although Cherie had dated in college, on one occasion the not-yet famous Johnny Carson, who was also a student at U of N, Roy won her heart, and they were married on March 5, 1950. Four years later they had a son, Roy3, named after his father and grandfather.

In 1955, Roy was recalled into the Navy and was assigned as Battalion Surgeon to Mobile Construction Battalion #9, busy building Cubi Point Naval Air Station, in the Philippines. He was always proud of his "Seabee" history.

After the Philippines assignment, he remained in the Navy for the rest of his military career, and moved his family to San Diego and later Oakland, California.

At Oakland Naval Hospital in the 1960s, he was assigned as Assistant Chief of Medicine. Additionally, he served as the personal physician to the famous Chester W. Nimitz of Fleet Admiral (5-star) rank and who had victoriously commanded all U.S. Naval Forces in the Pacific during WWII.

The elderly Admiral Nimitz and his wife were residing on nearby Treasure Island during their later years, and Roy paid a few social visits to their home, as well.

Roy attained the naval rank of Captain/O6, and eventually, in 1970, was assigned as Commanding Officer (CO) at Naval Hospital Bremerton (Puget Sound Naval Shipyard), Bremerton, and subsequently CO at Naval Dispensary Sandpoint NAS, Seattle.

Finally retiring from the Navy in 1973, he then provided consultant services as District Medical Officer for Social Security, in Seattle, until 1988.

Meanwhile, he and Cherie, in 1975, had settled on Washington's Olympic Peninsula after designing and building their country home in Agnew, near Port Angeles, with their horses on the property. They thoroughly enjoyed becoming grandparents three times there. And they were blessed with a wonderful marriage of 56 years until Cherie's death from cancer in 2006.

During childhood, his mother taught him and his siblings to reverence God, and introduced to them the wonderful Christian doctrine of Salvation. Later as an adult, he came to understand more fully God's incredible gift to all humankind of Jesus Christ, Who on the Cross provided payment for our sins and secured full pardon and eternal life for any and all who trust Him as Divine Savior (John 3:16).

Readily and wisely accepting this gracious and marvelous offer of pardon, Roy devoted his life to serving God and neighbor, family, country, and community. The Great Physician used him as an internist and cardiologist to heal many from their infirmities and to save lives.

He was a faithful elder in his local church, and in later years led a popular Bible study in his home. He enjoyed life on earth as a gracious husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and a friend to all. He looked forward to meeting his loving Maker in Heaven, and rejoining his beloved Cherie and many other loved ones. By the grace of God, Roy has now accomplished this prize of the upward call, having crossed the finish line in this life from his home while under the loving care of his son, and the expert care of several nurses from Olympic Medical Home Health and Volunteer Hospice.

Roy and son are ever grateful to Lillian, Kate, Kim, Sue, Donna, Lynn, Lauren, Molly, and others. These wonderful women are Godsends! They are the epitome of compassion, having such tender hearts as they gently and carefully dispense their care.

Roy is preceded in death by his much-loved daughter, Hallie; his parents; and sisters. He is survived by his slightly younger brother Robert; son, Roy (Marilyn); grandson, Daniel (Elizabeth) and great-grandson Caleb; grandson, Jonathan; granddaughter, Laura (Christopher) Mauser and great-grandchildren, Benjamin, Ruth, and Johannes; many dear nephews and nieces as well; and oh yes, a couple of retired, best-friend horses, Tag and Tuffy, who still live on the old place.

On October 29, 2019, Dad made his final move to Heaven, and was no doubt embraced and healed instantly and forever by the Great Physician Himself. He's 98 years old there now, with 10,000 more to come, just for starters. Amazing Grace. Praise God!

Peninsula Daily News --- Port Angeles, Washington
November 8, 2019