Della Marie Brown

Della was born at home in Clarksville, Texas on January 24, 1926 to a German immigrant, Erich Fredrick Felix Hausler, and his bride, Hulda Marie Bethke, a first generation American born to German immigrants.

Her family with nine children farmed land in Red River County. The hard work, strong family bonds and deeply held religious beliefs and practices created the roots, discipline, foundation for her life and her family’s success.

She graduated as the Salutatorian of her high school class in 1943 and left for Dallas, Texas to attend Draughn’s Business College. There she met a young Army recruit, Howard Amos Brown, her future husband. The whirlwind romance led to their marriage on September 26, 1943 at St. James Lutheran Church in Honey Grove, Texas. Howard and his bride went to Fort Benning in Georgia to complete his Paratrooper training before his departure for the war in the European Theatre.

The first child of eight children, Howard Jr, was born while they were apart, she was supported by the strong family of her birth. Howard returned, reunited with his bride and together they bought a dairy farm in Ogema, Wisconsin where Louella, Catheryn and Leslie were born. In 1952, they moved to Clarksville where Stanley was born before they moved in 1953 to Arlington, Texas where Michael, Donna and Christine completed the family of ten. In the next thirty-one years, she raised her family including a special needs child and began her dedicated activities at Grace Lutheran Church including LWML and Mother’s Day Out. She and Howard loved square dancing, camping trips in their travel trailer, playing cards with friends and gardening. They retired to Tyler in 1983 and joined Trinity Lutheran Church where they especially enjoyed their participation in Prime Timers. Their fruitful and supportive marriage lasted seventy years until Howard’s passing in 2014.

Her ninety-two years on this earth have enriched the lives of her family and so many more that she touched. She is the last of a generation in her lineage that fought a World War, saw the rise of the prosperity of the common man, the advancements in technology and medicine, had the roots of working the land, the discipline brought by hard work and the loving kindness of a belief in a loving God.

Della was preceded in death by daughter Louella Marie Kizzire and son Michael Lance Brown.

She is survived by her children Howard Jr and Sandra Brown of Whitney, Texas, Cathy Stines of Arlington, Texas, Les Brown of Tallahasse, Florida, Stan and Charlotte Brown of Panacea, Florida, Donna and Mark Belken of Mansfield, Texas and Chris and BJ Jones of Tyler, Texas; grandchildren Jim and Stephanie Peyton, Frank and Jennifer Stines, Crystal and Mike Woods, Janell Stines, Chris Brown, Josh and Ginni Brown, Danny Stines, Jennifer Ray, Megan Belken, Jonathan Ray, Carrie and Brandon Lynch, Derek and Felicia Belken, predeceased Randa Kizzire, and Julie Hernandez; 16 great grandchildren and 5 great-great grandchildren.

Funeral Services will be Wednesday, May, 23 2018 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Tyler, Texas at 10:30 A.M. Visitation at 9:30 A.M., and Graveside 4:00 P.M. at Tyler Memorial Park.

Memorials may be made to the Lutheran Hour and Trinity Lutheran Church building fund.