Carroll Fairbanks Brown

Carroll Fairbanks Brown, age 95, of Des Moines, Iowa, formerly of Austin, Minnesota, passed away on Thursday, October 13, 2022, at Bickford of Urbandale in Urbandale, Iowa. Carroll was born June 14, 1927, the son of Ozro and Marian (Hanson) Brown in Scobey, Montana. When he was 4 years old, his family moved to Austin, Minnesota, where he graduated in 1945 from Austin High School. While in high school, Carroll at age 15, started as a bookkeeper for A&S Parts and Machine Company, working after school and on the weekends. On the Friday following his high school graduation, he reported to Fort Snelling, enlisting in the United States Navy. Upon his discharge from the Navy, he returned to Austin and A&S Parts where he trained to work in the machine shop. He worked at A&S Parts for 11 years, then became manager of Erickson’s Oil Products for the next 11 years. Carroll then began a 25-year career at Hormel Foods, retiring in 1993. On August 30, 1952, he married Patricia Lehman in Austin. The couple was blessed with three daughters and over 57 years of marriage. Carroll and Pat moved to their hobby farm outside of Austin in 1970 and then moved back into Austin in 1996. Carroll loved his time on his “hobby” farm with his “pet” animals. Pat passed away on January 7, 2010. Carroll was united in marriage to Marie Jorgenson Graves on March 31, 2012, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Austin. Marie passed away on May 3, 2019. Carroll started golfing at the age 60 and enjoyed many rounds. He will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him.

Survivors include his three daughters, Michelle (Gene) Caleb of Urbandale, Iowa, Lori (Brian) Ronayne of Wyoming, Minnesota, Judie (Larry) Rohm of Lindstrom, Minnesota; eight grandchildren; sisters, Lela (Dan) Schmidt of Austin, Minnesota, Dorothy (Dean) Naylor of Butte, Montana; and sisters-in-law, Jan Brown and Joan Brown. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ozro and Marian Brown; 1st wife, Pat in 2010; 2^nd wife, Marie in 2019; and two brothers, Ozro and Duane Brown.