Brian Browning

Brian Browning, 58, passed away August 15, 2015. Services will be held Thursday, August 20, 2015 at 6:00 p.m. at First Unitarian Church, 1800 Bell Avenue in Des Moines, IA with visitation prior from 4 - 6 p.m.

Brian was born on October 18, 1956 to Everett and Laurel Browning in Manhattan, KS. He spent his childhood in Las Cruces, NM and later in Peru, NE where he graduated from Auburn Senior High School. In 1979 he graduated from the University of Nebraska with a major in Anthropology and minors in History and English. Brian had a broad and interesting career path. He worked as a field archeologist, finish carpenter, cabinet-maker, stone mason, and worked with a variety of historical organizations. He moved to Iowa City in 1981 where he met his wife Mary Kay Reser. They moved to Des Moines in 1990. In 2006 he earned his MBA from Iowa State University. Brian was the Historic Preservation Tech at Terrace Hill during the Branstad and Vilsack administrations, and the Administrator during the Culver administration. He taught history classes at Simpson College and also served as the Assistant Director of the Iowa History Center at Simpson.

Above all, Brian was a great Dad. He was very involved with his children’s activities from the Roosevelt Theatre Department to supporting his son’s original card game. Brian was a thoughtful, perceptive intellect with a great curiosity and a unique sense of humor; he loved to talk but was never boring. Brian particularly liked pirates, parrots and puns - but never alliteration.

He will be greatly missed by his wife of 28 years, Mary Kay Reser; children, Amelia, Lillian, Sam and Madeline; his parents, Everett and Laurel Browning; his brother, Gene (Shiang) and their children Warren and Pajia; and the extended Reser family.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family for distribution to Monsoon, among other charities. Condolences may be expressed online at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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