Agnes O'Leary Brown, 97

Agnes O’Leary Brown passed away peacefully at the Lake View Care Center in Bigfork on June 16, 2017.

She was the daughter of Matthew and Emma O’Leary; born on February 27, 1920. She grew up on a farm 25 miles from Circle, Montana in an area called Cow Creek.

She attended school there in a one room school house. She continued on with four years of high school in Wolf Point, graduating in 1937. Upon graduating high school, she attended college at Western College of Education in Dillion, Montana. She graduated in May of 1939 with an Associate’s Degree in teaching. Agnes’s first teaching position was at Moiese, Montana, where she taught the upper four grades. Agnes and her girlfriends would attend county dances, where she met her husband to be, Tom Brown.

After the school year ended Agnes and Tom were married at Wolf Point on June 9, 1940. Tom and Agnes were married for the next 64 years. They returned to Polson where Tom worked for the Gold Crust Bakery and Agnes worked as a substitute teacher. They were blessed with three children, Tom Jr., Kathleen, and Michael.

Agnes was an active partner in their business of Brown Construction, she did all of the bookkeeping. Agnes loved Polson where she was an active member of the community. She was a past Noble Grand of the Rebecca Lodge, a past Matron of Mystic Chapter Order of Eastern Star, and a faithful member of the First Presbyterian Church where she served as a Deacon.

When the “three kids left home” they loved to travel, visiting Europe and South America. (Tom and family in Venezuela, Kathy and family in Billings, and Mike and family in Georgia and Texas).

Agnes was preceded in death by her husband Tom, father and mother Matthew O’Leary and Emma O’Leary Nelson and her son Tom Jr. in 2015.

She is survived by her daughter Kathleen Brown Butler and her husband Lowell and their children Howard (Mona) and Heather (Nick), and Howard’s children Brooke and Mason; her son Michael and wife Carrie Brown, and their children Amanda (Joseph), and Nichole. Also, surviving Agnes are Tom Jr.’s children, Terri Brown and Forest Brown and his daughter, Madison.

The funeral for Agnes was held Friday, June 23 at the First Presbyterian Church in Polson, with Reverend Dave Anson officiating. A luncheon followed the service, and burial was held at the Polson Cemetery for all family and friends. Memories and condolences may be sent to the family at www.thelakefuneralhomeandcrematory.com.

Arrangements are under the direction of The Lake Funeral Home and Crematory.