Neal D. Brown

Longtime Palmer resident Neal D. Brown, 83, died Dec. 19, 2011, at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Palmer. His wife, children and almost all of his grandchildren surrounded Neal at the time of his death.

Memorial services are at 1 p.m., Dec. 27 at Palmer Christian Church on Scott Road. Pastor Bill Lance will officiate and the JBER Honor Guard will perform military honors. A reception will immediately follow the services at the church. Neal's ashes will be laid to rest at Palmer Pioneer Cemetery.

Neal was born June 16, 1928, to Roy Lester and Bessie Inis (Resseguie) Brown in Arapahoe, Neb. In his younger years he lived on a 1,500-acre ranch with his family in Atkinson, Neb. Neal joined the U.S. Navy and served his country in the latter part of World War II. He was honorably discharged in 1947. Neal moved to Washington state and met the love of his life, Betty Lou (Waggoner). They were married Aug. 18, 1947. While living in Washington state, they had four children. Neal fulfilled one of his greatest dreams by moving his family to Alaska in 1961, where he settled in the Matanuska Valley.

Neal worked at the Anchorage International Airport Post Office, first as a carrier and later as a supervisor from 1961 to 1979. After retiring from the post office he started a construction company, Brown's Builders, where he built many homes located in the Palmer and Wasilla areas. He retired from his construction business in the early 1980s.

For many years, Neal was a member of Palmer Christian Church and helped to design and build the church located on Scott Road. Neal was passionate about hunting, horseback riding, fishing and enjoying his grandchildren. He also loved to garden and grew record-sized tomatoes, cucumbers and cabbage which he shared with family and friends. He built a 35-foot ocean boat, which he kept in Valdez for use on the weekends with his family. Neal also had his captain's license.

"Neal was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He will be greatly missed," wrote the family.

Neal is survived by his wife of 63-and-half years, Betty; children, Linda Turner, Roy Brown and his wife Norma, Ginger Beal and her husband Greg, and Alice Hershman and her husband Wayne; 12 grandchildren, Tara, Cherish, Michael, Troy, Misty, Wayne, Toby, Tammy, Todd, Rachael, Rebekah and Danielle; he also is survived by 27 great-grandchildren.

Valley Funeral Home and Crematory cared for the family.