Obituary of Gary Dale Brown, SR

Gary D. Brown, Sr. Funeral Services for Gary Dale Brown, Sr. of Elsberry, MO will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, August 5, 2022 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home in Elsberry. Rev. Sam Byers, pastor of the Elsberry First Baptist Church, will officiate with burial in Elsberry City Cemetery in Elsberry. Serving as pallbearers will be Bill Brown, Wayne Brown, Robert Brown, Gary Brown, Paul Brown, Chris Brown, Kevin Hunter and Gene Hunter. Mr. Brown, 79, passed away Tuesday evening, August 2, 2022, at DePaul Hospital in Bridgeton, MO. Born July 30, 1943 in Portageville, MO, he was the son of Hershel Socrates and Nellie Mahala Huffman Brown. Gary served his country in the U.S. Air Force from March 16, 1961 until he was honorably discharged on September 10, 1962. Gary was united in marriage on June 22, 1963 in Troy, MO to Billie Jo McDonald. This union was blessed with six sons: Charles William, Hershel Wayne, Robert Louis Byernell, Gary Dale, Jr., Paul Alfred and Christopher Warren. Gary was first employed for 22 years at Continental Can Co. in St. Louis; then worked for three years at Sonoco Fibre Drum in St. Louis; and worked for eleven years at the Chrysler manufacturing plant in Fenton, MO, retiring on December 31, 2006. He was a member of the UAW, Local #136 in St. Louis, and was also a member of American Legion Post #226 in Elsberry. He was preceded in death by his father, Hershel Brown; his mother, Nellie Dedrick; two brothers: Wayne Marion and Charles Marion; and two sisters: Virginia Marion and Helen Barnette. Survivors include his beloved wife of 59 years, Billie Jo Brown of Elsberry; their sons: Charles William “Bill” Brown of Elsberry, Hershel Wayne Brown of Farmington, MO, Robert Louis Byernell Brown and his wife, Sharon Kaye, of Ohio, Gary Dale Brown, Jr. and his wife, Jan, of Elsberry, Paul Alfred Brown and his wife, Vicki Lynn, of Foley, MO, and Christopher Warren Brown of Springfield, MO; 30+ grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. Gary also leaves one brother, Bill Marion of Lilburn, MO; several nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends. Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. until time of the service at 1:00 p.m. Friday, August 5, 2022 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home in Elsberry. Memorials may be made to the Family of Gary Dale Brown, Sr. in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 107 S. 5th Street; Elsberry, MO 63343. Online condolences may be made at www.carterricksfuneralhome.com.