Owen Jackson Brown, Jr., age 63, of Pittsfield, IL passed away on Tuesday, May 28, 2019 at his residence. He was born on November 23, 1955 in Hannibal, MO to Owen Jackson "Jack" and Georgia Irene Pryor Brown, Sr. He married Lisa Ann Carroll on August 13, 1973, and she survives.
Owen attended Pittsfield High School and was self employed almost his entire life. Working was his passion. He once said, "I love to work, and I love to think." He had many business ventures and wore many different hats throughout his life. He was an inventor, a pro at cattle embryo transplanting and artificial inseminating, a builder, farmer, business owner, husband, father, grandpa, and was even a demolition derby car driver in his younger years... Which he said was an addiction that was hard to get rid of. He said that when he was young, all he could think about was farming, until he met Lisa, and then all he could think of was her. He started helping his mom do farm chores when he was really little. He baled hay at age 6 and milked his first cow and drove the tractor at age 8. He said, "As a kid, I was wide-open." Owen started doing cattle artificial insemination when he was only 16 years old. He said A.I.'ing was his "God-given talent." He had interesting stories to tell about sandbagging during the 1973 flood. In his last months, he still credited his ag teacher Mr. Chuck Ferguson for teaching him how to use a square. By his late teens, he was building everything from hog shed houses to large scale construction projects. His most successful invention is the Bale Band-It. He has sold hundreds of machines throughout all of the U.S and many foreign countries. In 1999, he and his wife Lisa started a manufacturing company called GFC which stands for God, Family, Country. These three things were what shaped his life and embodied what he stood for. His latest invention, the double baler, is currently being tested in the field, and he was very excited to see the outcome and its success.
Owen spoke at various events (including the American Engineering Conference). He hosted the PHS CEO class, took his inventions to farm shows all over the country, hosted the 2012 Illinois Forage Expo, and did educational presentations for different organizations. He won many awards for his inventions (e.g. 1st place at the Invention Contest at the Mid America Alfalfa Expo Conference, $15,000 1st place IL Business Plan contest, American Engineering Award where he competed against John Deere, New Holland, Caterpillar, etc.). He loved cattle and even traveled to France in search of the perfect breed and returned with a cow that later won the title of Grand Champion Saler female in Colorado. In recent years, he genetically crossbred cattle to produce and sell high quality beef.
Owen and Lisa started out at a very young age and built their life together. His greatest joy was spending time with his wife, children, and grandchildren, and he enjoyed having them work beside him. Owen's dream for GFC was for it to be a family business. And, Owen always said that everything he and Lisa did was for their children. He attended the Pittsfield Church of the Nazarene, was a member of Pike County Farm Bureau, and the Pike County Economic Development Corporation. Owen will be remembered as a very strong, determined, and dedicated family man who loved God with all of his heart.
He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Lisa; his father, Jack (Barb) Brown, Sr.; three sons, Owen Lacy (Melissa) Brown of Belgrade, MO, Nolan Ryan (Collyn) Brown of Middletown, MO, and Jacob (Krissy) Brown of Nixa, MO; two daughters, Melisha (John) Thomas of Warsaw, IL and April (Jordan) Dunn of Campton, KY; fifteen grandchildren, Alexandria Thomas, John Nealy Thomas III, Owen Ethan Brown, Brianna Brown, Alana Brown, Justin Brown, Elan Brown, Noah Brown, Olivia Brown, Wesley Brown, Esther Brown, Prudence Brown, Simeon Brown, Trevor Brown, and Asher Brown; three sisters, Georgia (Larry) Bergman of Pittsfield, IL, Jackie (Rick) Williams of Pittsfield, IL, and Marie (Randy) Woods of Barry, IL; father-in-law, James (Millie) Carroll of Pittsfield, IL; and mother-in-law, Marie Carroll of Pittsfield, IL.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Irene Brown.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, May 31, 2019 at 10:30 AM at Niebur Funeral Home in Pittsfield. Interment will follow at Pittsfield West Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 30, 2019 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the family to help cover medical expenses.
Owen attended Pittsfield High School and was self employed almost his entire life. Working was his passion. He once said, "I love to work, and I love to think." He had many business ventures and wore many different hats throughout his life. He was an inventor, a pro at cattle embryo transplanting and artificial inseminating, a builder, farmer, business owner, husband, father, grandpa, and was even a demolition derby car driver in his younger years... Which he said was an addiction that was hard to get rid of. He said that when he was young, all he could think about was farming, until he met Lisa, and then all he could think of was her. He started helping his mom do farm chores when he was really little. He baled hay at age 6 and milked his first cow and drove the tractor at age 8. He said, "As a kid, I was wide-open." Owen started doing cattle artificial insemination when he was only 16 years old. He said A.I.'ing was his "God-given talent." He had interesting stories to tell about sandbagging during the 1973 flood. In his last months, he still credited his ag teacher Mr. Chuck Ferguson for teaching him how to use a square. By his late teens, he was building everything from hog shed houses to large scale construction projects. His most successful invention is the Bale Band-It. He has sold hundreds of machines throughout all of the U.S and many foreign countries. In 1999, he and his wife Lisa started a manufacturing company called GFC which stands for God, Family, Country. These three things were what shaped his life and embodied what he stood for. His latest invention, the double baler, is currently being tested in the field, and he was very excited to see the outcome and its success.
Owen spoke at various events (including the American Engineering Conference). He hosted the PHS CEO class, took his inventions to farm shows all over the country, hosted the 2012 Illinois Forage Expo, and did educational presentations for different organizations. He won many awards for his inventions (e.g. 1st place at the Invention Contest at the Mid America Alfalfa Expo Conference, $15,000 1st place IL Business Plan contest, American Engineering Award where he competed against John Deere, New Holland, Caterpillar, etc.). He loved cattle and even traveled to France in search of the perfect breed and returned with a cow that later won the title of Grand Champion Saler female in Colorado. In recent years, he genetically crossbred cattle to produce and sell high quality beef.
Owen and Lisa started out at a very young age and built their life together. His greatest joy was spending time with his wife, children, and grandchildren, and he enjoyed having them work beside him. Owen's dream for GFC was for it to be a family business. And, Owen always said that everything he and Lisa did was for their children. He attended the Pittsfield Church of the Nazarene, was a member of Pike County Farm Bureau, and the Pike County Economic Development Corporation. Owen will be remembered as a very strong, determined, and dedicated family man who loved God with all of his heart.
He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Lisa; his father, Jack (Barb) Brown, Sr.; three sons, Owen Lacy (Melissa) Brown of Belgrade, MO, Nolan Ryan (Collyn) Brown of Middletown, MO, and Jacob (Krissy) Brown of Nixa, MO; two daughters, Melisha (John) Thomas of Warsaw, IL and April (Jordan) Dunn of Campton, KY; fifteen grandchildren, Alexandria Thomas, John Nealy Thomas III, Owen Ethan Brown, Brianna Brown, Alana Brown, Justin Brown, Elan Brown, Noah Brown, Olivia Brown, Wesley Brown, Esther Brown, Prudence Brown, Simeon Brown, Trevor Brown, and Asher Brown; three sisters, Georgia (Larry) Bergman of Pittsfield, IL, Jackie (Rick) Williams of Pittsfield, IL, and Marie (Randy) Woods of Barry, IL; father-in-law, James (Millie) Carroll of Pittsfield, IL; and mother-in-law, Marie Carroll of Pittsfield, IL.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Irene Brown.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, May 31, 2019 at 10:30 AM at Niebur Funeral Home in Pittsfield. Interment will follow at Pittsfield West Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 30, 2019 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the family to help cover medical expenses.
Owen Jackson Brown, Jr., age 63, of Pittsfield, IL passed away on Tuesday, May 28, 2019 at his residence. He was born on November 23, 1955 in Hannibal, MO to Owen Jackson "Jack" and Georgia Irene Pryor Brown, Sr. He married Lisa Ann Carroll on August 13, 1973, and she survives.
Owen attended Pittsfield High School and was self employed almost his entire life. Working was his passion. He once said, "I love to work, and I love to think." He had many business ventures and wore many different hats throughout his life. He was an inventor, a pro at cattle embryo transplanting and artificial inseminating, a builder, farmer, business owner, husband, father, grandpa, and was even a demolition derby car driver in his younger years... Which he said was an addiction that was hard to get rid of. He said that when he was young, all he could think about was farming, until he met Lisa, and then all he could think of was her. He started helping his mom do farm chores when he was really little. He baled hay at age 6 and milked his first cow and drove the tractor at age 8. He said, "As a kid, I was wide-open." Owen started doing cattle artificial insemination when he was only 16 years old. He said A.I.'ing was his "God-given talent." He had interesting stories to tell about sandbagging during the 1973 flood. In his last months, he still credited his ag teacher Mr. Chuck Ferguson for teaching him how to use a square. By his late teens, he was building everything from hog shed houses to large scale construction projects. His most successful invention is the Bale Band-It. He has sold hundreds of machines throughout all of the U.S and many foreign countries. In 1999, he and his wife Lisa started a manufacturing company called GFC which stands for God, Family, Country. These three things were what shaped his life and embodied what he stood for. His latest invention, the double baler, is currently being tested in the field, and he was very excited to see the outcome and its success.
Owen spoke at various events (including the American Engineering Conference). He hosted the PHS CEO class, took his inventions to farm shows all over the country, hosted the 2012 Illinois Forage Expo, and did educational presentations for different organizations. He won many awards for his inventions (e.g. 1st place at the Invention Contest at the Mid America Alfalfa Expo Conference, $15,000 1st place IL Business Plan contest, American Engineering Award where he competed against John Deere, New Holland, Caterpillar, etc.). He loved cattle and even traveled to France in search of the perfect breed and returned with a cow that later won the title of Grand Champion Saler female in Colorado. In recent years, he genetically crossbred cattle to produce and sell high quality beef.
Owen and Lisa started out at a very young age and built their life together. His greatest joy was spending time with his wife, children, and grandchildren, and he enjoyed having them work beside him. Owen's dream for GFC was for it to be a family business. And, Owen always said that everything he and Lisa did was for their children. He attended the Pittsfield Church of the Nazarene, was a member of Pike County Farm Bureau, and the Pike County Economic Development Corporation. Owen will be remembered as a very strong, determined, and dedicated family man who loved God with all of his heart.
He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Lisa; his father, Jack (Barb) Brown, Sr.; three sons, Owen Lacy (Melissa) Brown of Belgrade, MO, Nolan Ryan (Collyn) Brown of Middletown, MO, and Jacob (Krissy) Brown of Nixa, MO; two daughters, Melisha (John) Thomas of Warsaw, IL and April (Jordan) Dunn of Campton, KY; fifteen grandchildren, Alexandria Thomas, John Nealy Thomas III, Owen Ethan Brown, Brianna Brown, Alana Brown, Justin Brown, Elan Brown, Noah Brown, Olivia Brown, Wesley Brown, Esther Brown, Prudence Brown, Simeon Brown, Trevor Brown, and Asher Brown; three sisters, Georgia (Larry) Bergman of Pittsfield, IL, Jackie (Rick) Williams of Pittsfield, IL, and Marie (Randy) Woods of Barry, IL; father-in-law, James (Millie) Carroll of Pittsfield, IL; and mother-in-law, Marie Carroll of Pittsfield, IL.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Irene Brown.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, May 31, 2019 at 10:30 AM at Niebur Funeral Home in Pittsfield. Interment will follow at Pittsfield West Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 30, 2019 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the family to help cover medical expenses.
Owen attended Pittsfield High School and was self employed almost his entire life. Working was his passion. He once said, "I love to work, and I love to think." He had many business ventures and wore many different hats throughout his life. He was an inventor, a pro at cattle embryo transplanting and artificial inseminating, a builder, farmer, business owner, husband, father, grandpa, and was even a demolition derby car driver in his younger years... Which he said was an addiction that was hard to get rid of. He said that when he was young, all he could think about was farming, until he met Lisa, and then all he could think of was her. He started helping his mom do farm chores when he was really little. He baled hay at age 6 and milked his first cow and drove the tractor at age 8. He said, "As a kid, I was wide-open." Owen started doing cattle artificial insemination when he was only 16 years old. He said A.I.'ing was his "God-given talent." He had interesting stories to tell about sandbagging during the 1973 flood. In his last months, he still credited his ag teacher Mr. Chuck Ferguson for teaching him how to use a square. By his late teens, he was building everything from hog shed houses to large scale construction projects. His most successful invention is the Bale Band-It. He has sold hundreds of machines throughout all of the U.S and many foreign countries. In 1999, he and his wife Lisa started a manufacturing company called GFC which stands for God, Family, Country. These three things were what shaped his life and embodied what he stood for. His latest invention, the double baler, is currently being tested in the field, and he was very excited to see the outcome and its success.
Owen spoke at various events (including the American Engineering Conference). He hosted the PHS CEO class, took his inventions to farm shows all over the country, hosted the 2012 Illinois Forage Expo, and did educational presentations for different organizations. He won many awards for his inventions (e.g. 1st place at the Invention Contest at the Mid America Alfalfa Expo Conference, $15,000 1st place IL Business Plan contest, American Engineering Award where he competed against John Deere, New Holland, Caterpillar, etc.). He loved cattle and even traveled to France in search of the perfect breed and returned with a cow that later won the title of Grand Champion Saler female in Colorado. In recent years, he genetically crossbred cattle to produce and sell high quality beef.
Owen and Lisa started out at a very young age and built their life together. His greatest joy was spending time with his wife, children, and grandchildren, and he enjoyed having them work beside him. Owen's dream for GFC was for it to be a family business. And, Owen always said that everything he and Lisa did was for their children. He attended the Pittsfield Church of the Nazarene, was a member of Pike County Farm Bureau, and the Pike County Economic Development Corporation. Owen will be remembered as a very strong, determined, and dedicated family man who loved God with all of his heart.
He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Lisa; his father, Jack (Barb) Brown, Sr.; three sons, Owen Lacy (Melissa) Brown of Belgrade, MO, Nolan Ryan (Collyn) Brown of Middletown, MO, and Jacob (Krissy) Brown of Nixa, MO; two daughters, Melisha (John) Thomas of Warsaw, IL and April (Jordan) Dunn of Campton, KY; fifteen grandchildren, Alexandria Thomas, John Nealy Thomas III, Owen Ethan Brown, Brianna Brown, Alana Brown, Justin Brown, Elan Brown, Noah Brown, Olivia Brown, Wesley Brown, Esther Brown, Prudence Brown, Simeon Brown, Trevor Brown, and Asher Brown; three sisters, Georgia (Larry) Bergman of Pittsfield, IL, Jackie (Rick) Williams of Pittsfield, IL, and Marie (Randy) Woods of Barry, IL; father-in-law, James (Millie) Carroll of Pittsfield, IL; and mother-in-law, Marie Carroll of Pittsfield, IL.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Irene Brown.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, May 31, 2019 at 10:30 AM at Niebur Funeral Home in Pittsfield. Interment will follow at Pittsfield West Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 30, 2019 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the family to help cover medical expenses.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
