Our husband, father, and grandfather, Ralph James Brown, passed away on Saturday, December 19, 2020 at the age of 94.

Ralph was born (a twin) on December 4, 1926, to Eugene and Mary (Carda) Brown at their home in Enid, MT, joining five brothers and two sisters. As part of a family of ten children growing up in the depression era, he learned the value of hard work and taking care of your neighbors. He lived by these values throughout his life. Ralph graduated from Sidney High School in 1945 and in June of that same year, together with his twin brother Raymond, they were inducted into the United States Army. He served two years before the war ended and he was honorably discharged.

On July 14, 1956, Ralph married the love of his life, Donna Prevost, at St. Philomena’s Catholic Church in Sidney. Two years later the love of their relationship provided them with a son, Jerry. Before long, they had seven more children: Janice, Debbie, Cheryl, Camille, Charles, Evonne and Patricia. They made their home in Sidney and enjoyed 64 wonderful, faith filled years together.

Ralph had a lifelong enjoyment for music and dancing. In his early years, he enjoyed entertaining his family with the accordion. He and Donna enjoyed many years of travelling with close friends to various communities to square dance. Ralph instilled his love of music and dancing in his daughters, having taught them the two-step, polka and waltz. His large extended family provided many weddings, reunions and celebrations where he could dance, listen to music, and socialize.

Ralph worked for Thogersen Motors in Sidney for 44 years as an accountant along with other evening jobs before he retired. Ralph was a dedicated worker who took pride in his work.

Ralph was a man who lived and practiced his Catholic faith daily. He was a faithful member of St. Matthew’s Catholic Church. He sang in the church choir, and was a member of the Knights of Columbus, achieving the status of Grand Knight. He enjoyed being a Eucharistic minister for many years, administering the Eucharist to many people that were homebound, living in assisted living, the hospital, and nursing home. Ralph instilled in his children the importance of giving back to the community. Ralph volunteered his time at the local food bank and he and Donna delivered meals on wheels to the homebound. He always greeted everyone he met with a smile and a, “Hi”, ready to strike up a conversation.

In his retirement years, he enjoyed gardening, spending many hours in his yard watering and caring for his numerous trees and plants. He taught himself to play the organ and enjoyed playing whenever he had a spare moment. In his later years, he, Donna, and other family members enjoyed playing rounds of Bonco, where luck always seemed to run on Ralph’s side. Most of all, he looked forward to the next family gathering.

Faith and family were the center of Ralph’s life. He is missed tremendously, but his family knows, God had a plan and to trust in God’s plan.

He is survived by: his wife of 64 years, Donna Brown, Sidney, MT; his sister Vivian Leischner of Billings, MT; his children, Janice Brown of Watford City, ND, Debbie (Monte) Fratzke of Hall, MT, Cheryl (Randy) Unruh of Glendive, MT, Cammy Fink of Sidney, MT, Charles Brown of Deer Lodge, MT, Evonne (Ted) Fulgham of Sidney, MT, and Patricia (Randy) Glaser of Billings, MT, 17 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great- grandchildren; sister-in-laws: Merna (Glenn) Brown, Dolores (Joe) Irigoin, Marlene (Jim) Power, Charlotte (Bob) Rahn, Yvonne (Jack) McLaughlin, Sheelah (Robert) Prevost, Nancy (Roger) Cook, Linda (Don) Price, Renee (Roger) Herbst; brother-in-laws: Harold (Helen) Fink, Gary (Patty Ann) Prevost, Don (Julie) Prevost, Jim Prevost, Ron (Gin) Prevost; and many nieces and nephews;

He is preceded in death by; his son Jerry; his parents; his brothers: Adley, Eugene, Robert, Wesley, LeVern, Raymond and Glenn, his sister Helen Fink; a grandchild Kristina Moran; sister-in-law: Irene (LeVern) Brown; brother-in laws: Elmer Leischner, Bob Prevost, Jim Power and Jack McLaughlin, and Joe Irigoin; and his nephew, Todd Power.

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