Shirley May Brown, 89, of Ankeny, IA, went into the presence of the Lord on February 24, 2023. A visitation for Shirley will be held Friday, March 10, 2023 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Ankeny Funeral Home, 1510 West First Street, Ankeny, Iowa 50023. A funeral service will occur Saturday, March 11, 2023 at 11:00 AM at Faith Baptist Church, 401 2nd Street, Cambridge, Iowa 50046. Shirley will be laid to rest in Cambridge Cemetery, Cambridge, Iowa.
Shirley was born on the family farm near Troy, PA, on June 30, 1933, to John “Raymond” and Gladys Lyon. Shirley died at Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines, IA, just shy of her 71st wedding anniversary.
Shirley graduated from Troy High School, Troy, PA, in 1951. Shirley was the May Queen (Miss Troy) and the Troy Community Queen for the Laurel Festival in Wellsboro, PA. She participated in the Miss Pennsylvania competition and was a violinist in the State (PA) orchestra. She attended college classes at Baptist Bible Seminary, Johnson City, NY, and Denver Baptist Bible College, Bloomfield, CO.
Shirley accepted Christ as her personal Savior in high school through the persistent witness of her boyfriend, Duane. On April 13, 1952, Shirley married Duane, her high school sweetheart and love of her life. They were married in the same room on the family farm in which Shirley was born. Shirley served the Lord as a faithful wife and mother throughout their 70 years of married life in ministry, serving the Lord with Duane through five pastorates (NY-2x, IA, TX, NJ), three state representatives of churches (NY, PA, WV), and a college presidency (CO). Shirley and Duane have been active members of Faith Baptist Church in Cambridge, IA. She will be remembered for her constant love and support of her husband, her quiet and gentle spirit, her unending care and love for her five children, and her faithfulness to Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. She typically served behind the scenes with a humble spirit.
Shirley is survived by her husband Laurence “Duane” Brown of Ankeny; her children Diane (Don) Mills, Daniel (Mary Jo) Brown, Denise (Mark) Nelsen, and Douglas (Tricia) Brown; her brother Homer Lyon; 14 grandchildren; and 16 great grandchildren. Shirley was preceded in death by her son David and her sister-in-law Marjorie “Pudge” (Homer) Lyon.
The family would like to thank the staff at Iowa Methodist for their care and kindness through the final days of Shirley’s life. We praise God for the extraordinary love and care demonstrated by Kris and Jim Parlee over the past few years of Shirley’s life. We are thankful for the many expressions of love demonstrated to our family through the homegoing of Shirley.
Memorial gifts will be used for scholarships at Faith Baptist Theological Seminary. Please send gifts and cards to Dan Brown, 117 NW Countrywood Lane, Ankeny, IA 50023.
