William "Bill" Brown Jr.

Bill passed away suddenly on November 19, 2023, at home in Norwalk, Iowa. He was born January 7, 1955, in Detroit, Michigan, to his parents Patricia Taylor Brown and William Malcom Brown Sr. He moved to Iowa shortly after birth.

Bill attended East High School and met his high-school sweetheart, Debbie, at a local skating rink. After graduating from East High School in 1973, Bill began his career in trucking. He worked at Hyman Freightways for 28 years until they closed. He then worked for UPS for several years before working for the State of Iowa until his retirement in March 2021.

In 1977, Bill and his high school sweetheart, Debbie Nicholson, were married. However, if you ask either of them, they will tell you they got married in 1976. They had a bond like no other and were always together; they were a package deal - Debbie and Bill. Before becoming parents, Bill’s life with Debbie included traveling to Royals baseball games and watching stock car races throughout Iowa. They loved traveling with Debbie's family to Daytona Beach, Florida, which usually involved some interaction with the highway patrol for speeding - but he rarely received a citation. They started going to Daytona Beach for their honeymoon and continued going almost yearly until 2021.

A couple of years after marriage, they began their family, and Bill was soon a proud dad of two girls and one son, whom he loved dearly. He enjoyed being a dad and supporting his children, but to say he loved sitting through dance competitions, cheerleading, show choir competitions, band concerts, and dance recitals might be a stretch. That did not stop him, though. Bill was always there and loved supporting his girls. He loved watching his son play football and baseball; but preferred to watch baseball. Bill would spend countless hours playing catch, doing pop fly drills, or working on new pitches. He coached several baseball teams and had many close relationships with other players. Bill loved sports, especially the Iowa Hawkeyes, maybe as much as he loved going to the beach. He loved spending time at Daytona Beach and sharing that passion with his kids and grandkids.
He got great joy watching his grandkids in the ocean and taking them on golf cart rides on the beach. He was always grateful for the friends he had and continues to have to this day. Most of all, without question, he loved his wife, children, and grandchildren, who called him Papa.

Bill had a passion for Harley Davidson motorcycles, his Corvette, Nascar, and he loved to grill. He grilled delicious hamburgers and brats for the Annual Fourth of July Family Gathering. He maintained a meticulously manicured lawn. His lawn was a sight to behold, often mistaken for a picture-perfect scene from a magazine.

Bill is survived by his loving wife, Debbie Brown, and their children: Jessica Brown, Amanda Moede (Brian), and Brad Brown (Megan). He was a proud grandfather to Maverick, Memphis, Mirabella, Mila, and Millie Moede, and Addison and Cora Brown. Bill was a supportive brother to his siblings, Sherry Wilson, Mark Brown, Craig Brown, and Kevin Brown. He also cherished his time with his mother-in-law, Veda Nicholson, and his sisters-in-law, Terri Duis and Christy Christensen, all of the spouses, his nieces, nephews, and great nieces/nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Patricia Taylor Brown and William Malcom Brown Sr, his loving father-in-law Gene Nicholson, and his grandparents.

We will always carry his memory in our hearts and treasure every moment shared. Bill will be deeply missed by his wife, children, grandchildren, family, and all who knew and loved him. Until we meet again, we love you more!


The family will greet friends Wednesday, November 29, 2023 from 5 pm to 7 pm at Hamilton’s Southtown Funeral Home, 5400 SW 9th Street. Funeral services will be held at 12 pm on Thursday, November 30th at the funeral home. Bill will be laid to rest at Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery, 7601 Fleur Drive.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the family in loving memory of Bill.

Condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

Print