Carol Brown, long time Oakesdale homemaker and farmer, passed away early Sunday morning, Nov. 20, 2016 at her home. She was 76. Funeral Services will be Monday, Nov. 28th at 11:00 a.m. at the Oakesdale Community Presbyterian Church. Rev. Erik Buhl will officiate and burial will be in the Oakesdale Cemetery. Viewing will be at the church for one hour prior to services. Carol was the third child of Bob and Bernadine Keller Doerschlag of Sprague, WA. She was born Dec. 6, 1939 in Spokane, WA. She grew up in Sprague and received all twelve grades of her education at St. Joseph's Academy there. She was honored to be Miss Sprague in 1958. Carol loved to ride horses and she liked to play baseball. She knew the sting of heartache at an early age when her dad, her brother, and a family friend Jim Engdahl, all drowned while fishing at Eastman Lake near Sprague. Carol attended beauty school in Spokane. She married Ronald Elvin Brown, an Oakesdale boy, in the Spokane Valley on Sept. 20, 1968. After their marriage, Ron and Carol lived in Pullman briefly before Ron accepted a job with the McGregor Company in Colfax. When his father's health declined, the family moved to Oakesdale where Ron took over the farming operation from his dad. Carol kept busy as a homemaker and mother and raising their four boys on the farm near Oakesdale where she lived for over 45 years. She loved to sew and she often made special pillowcases for every holiday. Most of her family, the grandkids, nieces, nephews and friends all received this special gift of love from Carol. She liked to work in her yard and tend her beautiful flower gardens. She was also talented in the art of ceramics. Christmas was her favorite time of year and she loved spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Ron and Carol were snowbirds and travelled south to Yuma, AZ. for the last 15 years. She made many special friends while there too. Her husband passed away earlier this year. Carol is survived by 4 sons Bob Brown of Athol, Idaho; Phil (Karla) Brown of Oakesdale; Mike (Michelle) Brown of Oakesdale; and Don (Angel) Brown of Spokane; a brother Dean (Betty) Doerschlag of Reardan, WA; as well as seven grandchildren, Whisper, Skyler, Brandon, Clifford, Jordyn, Zane and Hayden and three great-grandsons, Lucas, Eli and Gunner. In addition to her husband and her brother, Dale, she was preceded in death by a sister, Roberta Archer. Memorial contributions in Carol's honor are suggested to the Kindred Care Hospice or the Oakesdale FFA. On-line guest book is at www.bruningfuneralhome.com
Bruning Funeral Home of Colfax has been entrusted with funeral arrangements.