Fred L. Brown
June 1, 1926 – Feb. 22, 2020
TOPEKA — Fred L. Brown, Topeka and formerly of Holton, died Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, at Oakley Place, Topeka. He was 93.
He was born June 1, 1926, in Topeka, the son of Mervin C. and Elizabeth Arnold Brown. Fred’s mother died when he was young and he was raised by his aunt and uncle, Tom and Sue Arnold. He served in the U.S. Army from 1947 to 1949.
For most of his life, Fred was a farmer and a stockman. After that, he worked in construction.
He was a member of First Baptist Church, Holton, and Kansas Building Trades Association.
He married Bonnie L. Ledbetter, June 3, 1950, in Ft. Smith, Ark. They were divorced and she died in 2008. He married Betty Crouch in 1962. She died in September 1997. He married Anna Mae Corley, Feb. 14, 1998, Holton. She died Dec. 20, 2017.
Fred was also preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Sue Pater; a stepson, Paul Crouch; a son-in-law, Mike Vickery; a step-son-in-law, Clarence Collingham; and his siblings, Tempest, Mayrea, Elsie, Mervin O., Walter and Tom.
He is survived by a son, Donald Brown and wife, Pam, Kansas City; two daughters, Carolyn Anderson and husband, Lawrence, Topeka, and Janet Vickery, Murray, Ky.; two stepdaughters, Charlotte Collingham and Thelma Jean Scroggins, both of Topeka; a stepdaughter-in-law, Duranna Crouch, Topeka; eight grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; and many great and great-great grandchildren.
Funeral Services will be 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27 at Chapel Oaks Funeral Home, Holton. Burial will follow at Holton Cemetery. Fred will lie in state in afternoon on Tuesday at the funeral home where family and friends will meet from 1 until service time on Thursday.
Memorials are suggested to Heartland Hospice and may be sent in care of Chapel Oaks Funeral Home, P.O. Box 1034, Holton, KS 66436.
Condolences may be expressed at chapeloaksfuneralhome.com.
