Colleen K. Brownworth

Colleen K. Brownworth

Peoria, Ariz.

Colleen K. Brownworth, 72, died Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023, at Dementia Care and Educational Campus in Phoenix, Ariz., after a several months of Dementia.

Her body was cremated, and the family will have a Celebration of Life Service which will be held on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023. Further details will be posted.

She is survived by her husband, David (Brownie) Brownworth; daughter, Angie Katz and grandson, Easton J. Stopperan of Fort Collins, Colo.; son, Benjamin (BJ) Katz, daughter-in-law, Amanda Katz and grandson, Hudson C. Katz and granddaughter, Reese J. Katz of Peoria, Ariz.; and her beloved dog Buddy.

Colleen was preceded in death by her father, Dr. James L. Roling, on Nov. 17, 2001; her mother, Marge Roling, on May 26, 2011; and her brother, James L. Roling Jr., on Sept. 12, 1997.

Colleen was born in Oelwein, Iowa, on June 14, 1951. She attended Oelwein High School, followed by Mankato State and then to the University of Iowa where she got her master's degree in recreational therapy. She worked at the University of Iowa in the Recreational Therapy Department for a few years before opening The Cat’s Meow, an educational toy store in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She owned her toy store for 18 years. Colleen and Brownie were married in Marion, Iowa on Dec. 21, 1991. Colleen loved spending time on the Mississippi River with her dad’s houseboat. Many fun times were spent water skiing and relaxing on the sand bar.

When Brownie took a job in Indianapolis, she sold her toy store and started an investment club in Carmel, Ind., for five years. Then Colleen and Brownie moved to Scottsdale, Ariz., in 2000 and she got into Real Estate with Coldwell Banker. In 2004 they moved to Trilogy at Vistancia and Colleen started The WORTH Group, one of the first real estate teams and ran it for many years. Brownie and BJ joined her until BJ started Lake Pleasant Real Estate in 2016 and both Colleen and Brownie worked for him. Colleen retired from real estate on March 31, 2022.

Her passion for toys and helping children inspired her to get involved with the Marines Toys for Tots program. In 2005, it started as a small event at her home in Trilogy and has grown year after year. The event, spearheaded by BJ, is now held at Blackstone Country Club each December. Over the years, our wonderful community has helped bring in 20,411 toys, 655 bikes and $56,630 in donations. Colleen was really passionate with this and the results shows!

Colleen loved spending time with family and especially her grandkids. Colleen enjoyed visited old friends in Oelwein and spending time in San Diego and Lake Tahoe.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in honor of Colleen to Dementia Care and Educational Campus at 3811 N. 44th St., Phoenix, AZ 85018.