Ralph Brown

RALPH LEROY BROWN

Tiffin

Ralph LeRoy Brown, 94, of Tiffin, died of cancer Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2016, at his home surrounded by family. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, at Grace United Methodist Church, Tiffin. Burial with military honors will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery in Tiffin. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19, at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City.

In lieu of flowers, memorials donations may be made in Ralph's memory to Tiffin Fire Department, Grace United Methodist Church or Iowa City Hospice.

Online condolences may be sent to his family through the web at www.gayandciha.com.

Ralph was born Aug. 22, 1921, in Tiffin, the son of Everett and Mamie Pearl (Shepardson) Brown. He was a 1941 graduate of Tiffin High School. On May 1, 1943, he married Louise "Cissy" Chapman in Lincoln, Neb., while he was serving in the Medical Corps of the U.S. Army from 1941 to 1945.

After World War II, Ralph worked for Johnson County Roads, ran Spivey's Saloon with Cissy and drove stock and grain trucks to Chicago.

During this time, he also graduated from barber school. Afterward, he worked at Strand Barber Shop in Iowa City and also as a barber in Oxford and Fayette. He then built his own home in 1961 with Brown's Barber Shop attached. He ran that for 41 years and closed it in 2001.

Besides barbering, Ralph worked at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics as a pharmacy tech. He then worked as Tiffin's Wastewater manager until his retirement.

His family includes four children, Dennis Brown of Tiffin, Christine (Richard) Lauderbaugh of York, Neb., Pamela Kinney of Iowa City and Connie Brown of Tiffin; eight grandchildren, David (Dyan) Brown, Ryan Brown, Tammy (Joe) Brever, Michael Lauderbaugh, Susan Lauderbaugh, James (Marit) Kinney, TJ (Renae) Kinney and Stacy Kinney; 10 great-grandchildren, Jordan, Matthew and Tyler Brown, Devin and Danielle Brown, Aiden Kinney, Katelyn, Nicholas and Michaela Kinney and Brecken Kinney; sister-in-law, June Brown of Chesapeake, Va.; cousins, Doris and Dick Schroeder and Barb Brown of Idaho; as well as extended family, Betty Madden, Roger Janssen, Pam Brown, Tom Kinney, Harley Stapes, Gary Kee, Duane Albin and Cody Albin.

Ralph was preceded in death by his wife, Cissy; parents; siblings, Darrell Brown, Lawrence Brown, Leonard Brown and Evelyn Hill Lightfoot; and cousins, Gladys Stephens and Verle Brown.