Phyllis K. Brown

A celebrate of life for Phyllis K. Brown will be held 1:00 PM, Saturday, March 10, 2012 at St. Ignace, Michigan. Burial will be in Moran Township Cemetery in Gros Cap, Michigan.

Phyllis was born April 27, 1930 to Evart and Mildred (Caldwell) Powers in Hawks, Michigan. She passed away Saturday, February 25, 2012 at the age of 81 years, 9 months and 28 days.

Phyllis graduated from LaSalle High School in St. Ignace, Michigan. She and Russell R. Beeck were married December 7, 1946. After his death in 1997, she married Joel V. Brown in Sulphur on September 15, 2000. In her early years, she worked as waitress and cook at various St. Ignace area restaurants. For over 35 years, Phyllis was a Foster Parent to many children. She helped organize the Parents’ Advisory Committee for Developed Mentally Handicapped students in the Eastern Upper Peninsula of Schools. She also served on Michigan’s Adhoc Committee for Developed Mentally Handicapped. She served as Mackinac County road commissioner from 1992 to 1998. She was a member of Moose Lodge #999 in St. Ignace, Michigan for 35 years and a lifetime member of Murray County Antique Tractor club.

She is survived by her husband, Joel, of Sulphur; daughters: Brenda St. Andrew and husband, Doug, of Moran, Michigan, Nancy Beeck of Gwinn, Michigan, Diana Crandell and husband, Doug, of Charlevoix, Michigan, Becky Cervenka and Dione Long and husband, Rick, both of the Houston, Texas area; sons: Roland Beeck and wife, Rhonda, of Iron Mountain, Michigan and Steven Brown and wife, Debbie, of Deer Creek, Texas; sister, Mari Lou Sayles of East Lansing, Michigan; 21 grandchildren; 5 step-grandchildren; 31 great grandchildren; 8 step great grandchildren; and 6 great-great grandchildren. She is also survived by 15 foster children.

She was preceded in death by parents, Evart and Mildred Powers; brothers, Evart “Wid”, Ronald, Neil and Clinton; sisters: Ardis Pearson, and Barbara Beaudion; and first husband, Russell Beeck.

Honorary pallbearers will be her grandsons: Andrew Beeck, Jacob Beeck, Russell St. Andrew, Doug St. Andrew, Todd St. Andrew, John Jenerau, Donald Crandell and David Crandell.

Family suggests memorial contributions be sent to Victory Hospice in Davis, Oklahoma, Eastern U.P. or Special Olympics in St. Ignace, Michigan.