EDWARD J. BROWN, 82, of Kendallville, died on Monday, April 23, 2012, at Lutheran Life Villages, Kendallville. He graduated from Delphi High School in 1948. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1951 to 1954. He was in the Naval Air FASRON Seven Squadron. He worked for Standard Oil Company, in Royal Center and was transferred to Kendallville in 1955. In 1975, he and his wife co-founded Brown & Sons Fuel Co., Inc., in Kendallville. He retired in 1995. His sons, Jay and Paul continue to operate the company today. He and his wife wintered in Arizona for many years. He was a member of the Old Fort Region Model "A" Club, Kendallville Lodge No. 276, F.&A.M, Kendallville Elks Lodge 1194, Kendallville American Legion Post 86, Mizpah Shrine of Fort Wayne, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Fort Wayne, the Flying Shriners, and several other clubs within the Shrine. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church. Born April 18, 1930, in Burrows, he was the son of Paul Vernon and Josephine (Carney) Brown. On April 18, 1953, at the Naval base in El Centro, Calif., he married Billie Marie Cookerly; she survives in Kendallville. Also surviving are two sons and daughters-in-law, Jay Edward and Karen Brown and Paul Allen and Becky Brown, all of Kendallville; four grandchildren, Cory Allen Brown, Claire Anne Brown, Austin J. Brown, and Avin Lee Brown; a brother, Robert Brown of Burrows; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral service is 2 p.m. Friday at Young Family Funeral Home, Kendallville Chapel, 222 South State St., Kendallville. Calling is from 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday in the funeral home, with a Masonic Lodge service at 7:30 p.m. Burial in Lake View Cemetery, Kendallville. Honor guard services will be provided by Kendallville V.F.W. Post 2749, Rome City American Legion Post 391, Kendallville American Legion Post 86, and active duty members of the U.S. Navy. Preferred memorials to Shriner's Hospitals for Children in Chicago. Envelopes available at funeral home. View a video tribute after Thursday or send condolences to the family at www. youngfamilyfuneralhome.com

Published in Fort Wayne Newspaper on April 25, 2012