Brown, James Darel
James "Darel" Brown, 69, of Anchorage, died peacefully in his
sleep at home on May 11, 2010.
Family and friends will gather for a memorial service with
military honors from 4-6 p.m. Friday at the Anchorage Moose
Lodge, 4211 Arctic Blvd,, followed by a celebration of Darel's
life .
Darel's final resting place will be in Roanoke, Va., waiting for
the day his wife, Martha, joins him.
Darel was born July 13, 1940, in Bakersfield, Calif., to James
Kenneth Brown and Maxine Eleanor McGorray Brown. After
graduating from Bakersfield High School, he enlisted in the U.
S. Marines in 1957 and served four years with the military
police. While in the military he obtained the rank of corporal
E-6 and received medals for good conduct and the M-1 rifle
marksmanship award.
After his tour of duty with the U. S. Marines ended in January
1961, Darel spent the next 22 years working the oil fields in
Southern California and the Middle East for Parker Drilling and
Golden State Drilling.
He moved to Anchorage in 1982 and worked in the oil fields
in Cook Inlet and the North Slope. He retired from the oil
fields in 2004 but continued to work full and part time for
environmental companies in Anchorage.
He loved projects, whether it was remodeling his home or
working on his truck. Sadly his last project, preparing for an
extensive cross-country motor home trip with his family, was
not finished.
Darel achieved a lifelong dream of obtaining his private pilots
license in 1989.
That same year he went on a big-game hunt. That lifelong
dream was short-lived as he realized killing animals was not
something he would ever do again.
As NASCAR racing was his passion, he could always be found
during Sprint Cup Racing season watching his beloved races
as well as pre- and post-racing programs. His NASCAR friends
know that when the words "Gentlemen, start your engines"
are spoken and the roar of the race cars starts, Darel is
watching the races with them and cheering on his beloved
No. 9 race car.
He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Martha, whose world
stopped on May 11; their beloved German shepherd, RJ, who
will always look for his dad every time a diesel truck starts;
and their little cat, Cinder, who loved to watch TV with her
dad. He is also survived by his sister, Myrna of Santa Maria,
Calif.; son, Richard and wife, Anna, of Freeman, Missouri;
daughter, Kimberly; grandchildren, Kristina, Kelsey and Kevin;
and two great-grandchildren, all of Bakersfield, Calif.;
stepdaughters and their families, Sheryl Scrogham and Linda
Rutledge of Bakersfield, Calif., and Robin Taylor of
Claremore, Okla.; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his father, James; mother,
Maxine; and his beloved aunt, Evelyn Stamford, who Darel
referred to as his "other mother."
Darel was a member of the American Veterans, American
Legion and the Loyal Order of Moose.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Alaska Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals as follows: SPCA, 549
West International Airport Road, Suite B2, Anchorage, 99518.
Or to the Moose Heart Orphanage as follows: Moose
Charities, 155 South International, Mooseheart, Ill., 60539.
Arrangements are with Janssen's Evergreen Memorial Chapel.
www.janssenfuneralhomes.com
Published in adn.com from May 19 to May 20, 2010



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