John Oliver Brown

John Oliver Brown, 83, passed away March 18, 2026 in Show Low, AZ., after battling a rare blood cancer for over two years. John was born May 9, 1942 to parents Henry Lincoln Brown and Lena Mae (Branson) Brown, in Robinson, Illinois. He graduated in 1960 from Robinson High School where he played football.

John grew up learning carpentry skills from his dad and very much enjoyed summer camping and fishing with his family in Minnesota.

John graduated McKendree College in Lebanon, Illinois, where he met his first wife, Judith Rebecca Winn. They married in 1963 and had two children, Lisa Rebecca and John Mark. John felt called into the ministry not long after marrying. They moved to Sunnyside, GA where John attended Emory University's School of Theology and pastored three local churches during his time there. While he was working in the garden at the parsonage, he audibly heard God's voice telling him twice to "go home". This led them to move back to Robinson, IL.

When John's dad passed away in 1972, he took over the Dodge dealership in Robinson, IL (Brown Motor Sales) until it sold in the late 1970's. John enjoyed multiple careers during their time in Robinson, from driving a school bus and teaching junior high school science and coaching basketball to earning his insurance and annuities license while working for New York Life Insurance and VALIC. While working full-time in insurance, he also pastored a circuit of four small country churches. During his time with VALIC, he transferred to Tucson, AZ in 1978. While building a client base, John took on several jobs to support his family. One of those jobs was in carpentry where he contributed to projects such as building the original El Con Mall multi-screen theater and working on the Florence, AZ State Prison expansion. John and Judy divorced in 1991.

Building his financial planning business led him to work with multiple school districts as far away as Yuma, AZ and locally at the Amphitheater School District where he met Patricia Bealmear. They married February 26, 1992 and were married for 34 years.

John never lost his love of spending time in the forest, camping and always having a dog that was his "Buddy". He and Patricia traveled in RVs extensively in the West and as recently as last month took a trip into the woods just outside of Show Low. He learned to appreciate the local birds, as is a passion of Patricia's and would devotedly add bird seed to their multiple feeders and put peanuts out for the blue jays on their deck each morning. He saw and wondered at God's hand in nature and always felt God with him in all life's circumstances. He was a licensed pilot and assisted the organization, Wings of Faith, by flying donations on to Native American reservations. John served his friends at White Mountain United Methodist Church in Show Low in many ways, notably as co-chair of the Staff Parish Committee and as deacon and guest pastor on several occasions.

John is survived by his wife, Patricia Brown, of Show Low, AZ, his daughter and son-in-law, Lisa and Doug of Tucson, AZ, granddaughter Emily and grandson, Zac, and his son, Mark and his partner, Esther, of Santa Fe, NM.

A Celebration of Life will be held, Saturday, March 28th at 12:00 noon at White Mountain United Methodist Church, in Show Low, AZ.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in his name may be made to Pet Allies Animal Shelter, 1321 N 16th St, Show Low, AZ 85901.