Michael “Mike” Brown
Michael “Mike” Brown, age 77, of Olivia, MN passed away peacefully on Saturday, August 5, 2023 with family from complications of a lung infection. A memorial service will be held Tuesday, August 15th at 11 a.m. at the family farm with Rev. Matt Hausken officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to the family for organizations close to Mike’s heart.
Michael George Brown was born on July 30, 1946 in Willmar, MN to Robert and Marie (Schulte) Brown. Mike attended St. Aloysius Catholic School and graduated from Olivia High School. He continued his education at Dunwoody College studying to be an electrician. Mike served his country as a member of the National Guard. On November 19, 1966 Mike was united in marriage to Kathy Dillon at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Olivia. They were blessed with three daughters and made their home on a farm south of Olivia. Before Mike received his electrical license, he worked for Brown’s Automotive in Hector. He then began working for Brandt Electric where he worked for many years before working for Mid-State Electric until his retirement. Mike decided to work part time for RenVilla Nursing Home during his retirement, where the best part of his day was talking with the residents at Meadows on Main. As a young man, Mike was a member of the Exotic Car Club, and was a very proud member of the IBEW Local 292 & 343 Unions. Together with Kathy, they loved to travel in the fall leaf peeping as well as watching and feeding the birds, with the special food mix that he made himself. Every winter, Mike took pride in feeding the pheasants. Although he had good intentions, while he was on the county highway taking his time driving slowly to throw ears of corn at just the right distance apart he was pulled over by the highway patrol for “driving too slow.” He was a handy man that loved to tinker with taking things apart and putting them back together and building anything his family asked for through his woodworking. Mike had a passion for being outdoors gardening and tending to his lawn. Every year he challenged himself to grow the most beautiful and biggest onions, and to see how many times he could get in trouble for getting stuck and mowing over things that he wasn’t supposed to like foxtails. While enjoying his extra time in retirement, he developed an interest in putting together puzzles, especially ones by Terry Redlin. Many of his completed puzzles were framed by him and hung on the wall. Although there were other hobbies that he would have loved to do, like fishing, he didn’t have enough time to add more to his already long list.
Mike is survived by his three children: Emy (Rich) Elbert of Olivia, Jamie Stryker of Renville, and Katy Holland (Josh Honzay) of Olivia; grandchildren: Josie and Mckenna Lilja, Daylea and Autum Stryker, and Delaney, Andrew, and Kole Holland; his most loved dog, Annie; his siblings: Jean (Lowell) Herdina and John (Michelle) Brown; his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Pat (Larry) Johnson of Richville, Tom (Barb) Dillon of Gunnison, CO, Deb Mahoney of Olivia, Jim (Joy) Dillon of Deer Creek, Kevin Dillon of Olivia, Randy (Kathy) Dillon of New London, Kelly (Beaver Hatch) Fischer of Olivia, Shannon (Kevin) Rothmeier of Olivia, Todd (Mary) Dillon of Olivia, and Jon (Darla) Dillon of Olivia, Pat Dillon of Olivia, and Dave Bruns of Jordan, MT; and many other relatives and friends. Mike was preceded in death by his wife, Kathy; parents, Bob and Marie; brothers, Jim and Bob Brown; brothers-in-law, Mike Dillon and Bob Mahoney; sisters-in-law, Francie Pearson and Jane Bruns; nephew, Jay Mahoney; and mother and father-in-law, Gene and Bev Dillon.
Blessed Be His Memory