Obit: Brown, Steven J. (1952 - 2016)

Contact: Robert Lipprandt
bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Brown, Frankewicz, Garcia, Gibson, Haggerty, Hawkey, Kassien, Manickam, Porath, Schuh, Searer, Watkins, Weber

----Source: WIGM/WKEB Obituaries (Medford, WI) 3/03/2016

Brown, Steven J. (5 JUN 1952 - 1 MAR 2016)

Steven J. Brown, age 63, of Colby, passed away on Monday, March 1, 2016 at the Ministry St. Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 5, 2016 at Saint Mary's Catholic Church in Colby. Father Peter Manickam will officiate. Military Honors provided by the Lublin American Legion Post #547, Owen American Legion Post #123 and Owen-Withee Vets Club.

Family and friends are welcome from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m. on Friday, March 4 at the Maurina-Schilling Funeral Home in Abbotsford. The Rosary will be recited at 3:45. There will also be a visitation from 10:00 a.m. until time of service Saturday at the church.

Steve was born on June 5, 1952, the son of Nester and Betty (Haggerty) Brown in Janesville. He was raised by foster parents, Ned and Vanje Weber. He attended Janesville Public Schools and Nicollet Technical College in Rhinelander.

Steve proudly served in the U. S. Marine Corps from 1969-71. On May 8, 1976, he was united in marriage to Debra Porath. She preceded him in death on April 30, 1996. On February 16, 1999, Steve was united in marriage to Nancy Schuh in Neillsville and the marriage was then blessed at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Owen.

Steve was a self-employed carpenter and a nurses' aide for the Clark County Health Care Center. He was a member of the Owen-Withee Vets Club. Steve loved woodworking, model cars, camping, hiking, fishing, campfires, cribbage, auctions, playing guitar, singing and the northwoods. He also volunteered including playing Santa Claus, singing at nursing homes and serving communion to shut-ins. Most of all he loved spending time with his family and will dearly be missed.

Steve is survived by his wife, Nancy of Colby; his daughter, Nina (Don) Watkins of Bear Creek; three step-children: Lesa Hawkey of Colby, Jason Searer (Jennifer Frankewicz) of Colby and Julie Searer of Abbotsford; two grandchildren: Allyssa Gibson and Matthew Watkins; eight step-grandchildren: Logan and Morgan Hawkey, Cadence, Jase and Alexis Searer, Kaylee, Evan and Marcus Garcia. He is further survived by four brothers and two sisters: Richard of Edgerton, Nancy (James) Kassien of Boulder Junction, Michael (Sue) of Montello, Diane (Don) Kassien of Owen, Doug (Linda) of Jefferson and Daniel (Kim) of Edgerton; Mother-in-law, Lorraine Porath of Owen; foster father, Ned Weber; his rescue dog, Cheyenne; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Debra; his step-son, Norman "Bucky" Searer, two brothers and two sisters: Jerry, Sandra, Dolores and David; father-in-law, Ed Porath; niece, Jessica Porath and father-in-law and mother-in-law, Anthony and Geraldine Schuh.

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