Vernon Leroy Browne, 90

Vernon Leroy Browne, aged 90, died on May 7, 2012, at the Spokane Veterans Home in Spokane, Wash.

Services will be held on Thursday May 17, 2012, at the Spokane VA Home, 222 5th Street, Spokane.

Vern was born in Tisdale, Saskatchewan, Canada, on June 27, 1921, to Edwin and Mabel Browne.

Vern’s parents had moved from the US to Canada to find work. His father entered the Canadian army and fought in WW I France. 

Vern’s parents met in the sanatorium where his dad was recovering from being heavily gassed during fighting in France.

The family moved south to Chicago again looking for work when Vern was five years old. Vern lived in the Chicago area until he entered the Navy. He was assigned to the USS Arizona in 1941 just prior to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. 

He and a friend decided to switch with two other musicians so they could stay closer to home. Hawaii was a choice assignment so there was no shortage of guys who wanted to switch. He served through the war on the USS New York, making nine crossings of the Atlantic Ocean.

He was also on a peace keeping bicycle patrol unit in Casablanca during one of his voyages.

He served in both the Navy and the Marine Corps. He pursued higher education while the Navy moved him all over the US. Everywhere he was stationed he’d enroll in college again. He obtained his bachelor of arts degree in social studies while serving. 

He had been trained as a navy pilot and finished his training the week the war ended! He never flew a combat mission, nor did he ever pilot a plane again.

In the Marine Corps he served in Washington, D.C. in the president’s own Marine Band and played for the Eisenhower inauguration in 1955.

He was a professional symphonic musician until he retired in 1961. He also was a contractor and city planner.

Vern was married to Elzia Browne from 1959 until her death in 1998.

They are survived by a son, Andrew Browne of Bonners Ferry, Idaho; and daughters Mila (Larry ) Cousins of Bonners Ferry, and Carol (Craig) Oliver of Colo., and grandchildren Jennifer Bennett, Joshua Landin and Jennifer Barnes; and six great-grandchildren.

Vern married twice. From his first marriage which ended in 1958, he is also survived by a daughter, Verna Browne Larson, and her daughter Delayne Larson and a great-grandson. 

Vern’s sister Evelyn (Browne) Herrell lives in California.

He is survived by nephews Jim, Dick and John Herrell of California, and their families.

Vern was baptized in 1935 at the Methodist Episcopal Church in Chicago. One of the joys of the last two years of his life was to attend Bible studies and church services at the Spokane Veterans Home. He enjoyed delving into the scriptures with friends he developed while living there for the past five years.

Vern was a man who lived a long and full life. He had many talents and interests ranging from music (his first and last love) to history to just plain study of the dictionary or any book that was handy. He was a highly social man and loved to tell a good joke or kiss the hand of a lady. 

He was well loved and will be truly missed by those who knew him.