Joseph Brown

BELL CITY, Mo. -- Joseph R. Brown, 92, of Bell City passed away Friday, Nov. 7, 2014, at his home.

He was born July 18, 1922, in Bell City, the son of B. Rust and Louise E. Vollmar Brown. Joe and Mary Marcella Hasty were united in marriage March 7, 1953, in Bell City.

Joe was a veteran of the U.S. Navy serving in World War II. He had been a POW for 39 months, from 1942 to 1945 in Japan. He was a retired farmer. Joe was a local historian and photographer. He published and wrote several books. He was the secretary for the Crowder-Zeta Special Road District. He worked with the Stoddard County Historical Society, and engineered the building of the Log Cabin in Bloomfield Park.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Marcella Brown; a son, Joseph E. Brown of Bell City; three daughters, Katie Louise Beseda of Paris, Tennessee, Melody Trout of Advance, Missouri, and Martha E. Garuccio of Marquand, Missouri; two sisters, Martha Henry of Prescott, Arizona, and Mary V. Brown of Bell City; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a brother.

Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday at Morgan Funeral Chapel in Advance.

A funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, with the Rev. Elijah Pullen and the Rev. Bob Bradford officiating. Burial will be in Gravel Hill Cemetery near Bell City, with full military rites.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to a charity of your choice.