John “Jack” Leslie Brown, age 88, died peacefully on October 3, 2024, at Our House Senior Living in River Falls, WI. Jack was born on March 30, 1936, to Joseph and Alice (Dunham) Brown at Mrs. Okonek’s maternity home on Vine Street in Spooner, WI.

Jack grew up on a farm about eight miles west of Shell Lake. He attended grade school at South Dewey, a one room schoolhouse about a mile from his family’s home on Hilltop Road. From 4th through 7th grade, his mother was his teacher. Jack graduated in 1954 from Shell Lake High School. He was active in the South Dewey 4-H neighborhood club, FFA, yearbook staff, student council, as a class officer, and a Badger Boys State representative. His high school friends recall that Jack usually had access to a car and was often the driver for their outings.

On August 18, 1962, he married Kathleen Anne Michel at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Spooner. Together, Jack and Kathy raised their family of five children in Spooner. They celebrated 62 years of marriage in August. Jack and Kathy moved to Glenview Assisted Living in Shell Lake in 2016. For the last one-and-a-half years Jack lived in the River Falls area.

Jack’s first job away from the farm was at Shell Lake Motors where he repaired cars. Other early jobs include working in the Twin Cities at the airport laying the first heavy duty jet runway (1955) and at Sears, Roebuck & Co. From 1959 to 1961, Jack was in the US Army at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and proudly served as the Squadron Parts Supply Specialist. Following his time in the Army, he drove truck with Grand Avenue Ford in St. Paul/Dealers Manufacturing in Minneapolis for over nine years, delivering parts to Ford dealerships all over northwest Wisconsin. Jack left life on the road in 1973 to be the Ford Service Manager for Kronlund Auto Sales in Hayward, a position he held for eight years. In 1981, he was appointed Washburn County Clerk and was reelected 12 times to serve “the fine people of Washburn County” for 25 years. As a part of that role, he was active in the Wisconsin County Clerk’s Association, the Wisconsin Employee Trust Fund Board and the Wisconsin Retirement Board.

Jack had genuine concern and dedication for the people of Washburn County and was known for going above and beyond to help others, his friendliness, and his signature handshake. Jack received the Best Friend Award at a county employee gathering, “For being BEST FRIEND to no one in particular and to everyone in general!” The sizable amount of business cards he collected was an indication of the number of people he considered to be his friend.

Jack engaged in community life in multiple ways. He volunteered with Scouting, and church and school events, often as the clean-up crew. At St. Francis de Sales Church he was a long-time usher and a member of the church finance committee. Jack was a member of Spooner Kiwanis, AmVets Post #190 (chaplain and trustee), and the Shell Lake Chamber of Commerce. Attending funerals of family and friends was always an important ministry to Jack and Kathy. They were present at countless funerals to support the grieving even when they didn’t know the deceased person well. Together Jack and Kathy frequented church dinners, parades, dairy breakfasts, concerts, and other community gatherings in the local area.

Jack is survived by his wife, Kathleen; children Mary (Jim) Camber of River Falls, WI, Michael of Northfield, MN, Patrick (Sheryl) of Kasson, MN, Paul of Eau Claire, WI, and Michelle Super of Eagan, MN; grandchildren Ashley (Christopher) Linarducci, Chelsea Brown (Bryan Ripley), Elizabeth (Patrick) Gibbons, Christopher (Theresa) Camber, and Nora Super; great-grandson Francis Gibbons; his sister JoAnne (Donald) Krause of Brookfield, WI, and sister-in-law Elaine Michel of Grantsburg, WI; and cousins, nieces and nephews.

Jack was preceded in death by his parents, his mother and father-in-law, Adolph and Teresa (Gross) Michel, and sisters and brothers-in-law Lawrence (Helen) Michel, George (Jo and Irene) Michel, Marion (Donald) Honer, Fr. Eugene Michel, OFM, and Richard Michel.

Jack’s family is grateful to Our House Senior Living in River Falls, Glenview Assisted Living in Shell Lake, and St. Croix Hospice for caring for Jack with expertise and compassion over the last eight years. He expressed gratefulness for the help he received from his caregivers and regularly voiced his gratitude by saying “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

In lieu of flowers suggested memorial donations can be directed to: Alzheimer’s Day Respite Program “Happy Day Club,” Spooner, WI; Glenview Assisted Living, Shell Lake, WI; or St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church or School, Spooner, WI.

Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 10, 2024, at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Spooner. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service at 11:30 a.m. Graveside service with Military Honors will begin at 2:00 p.m. at the Northern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

Last Update: Oct 10, 2024 6:40 am CDT