Pheba Beulah Brown

Pheba Beulah Brown, the youngest of three children of Ida Elizabeth (Lynch) Higgs and Charles E. Hill, was born on May 31, 1917 in Unionville, Missouri. She grew up in the Unionville area where she attended school. Pheba moved to Aurora, Missouri. She and Charles H. McCollom were married on November 9, 1931 in Kirksville, Missouri. Charles died on August 6, 1940.

Pheba and William David Brown were married on January 28, 1943 in St. Louis, Missouri. They made their home in Hastings, Iowa and their marriage was blessed with two children, John and Mildred.

Pheba and Dave were married almost 20 years when Dave passed away on November 8, 1963 at the Nishna Cottage in Malvern, Iowa.
Pheba continued to live in their home in Hastings. She worked at the Henningsen Egg Plant in Malvern for 20 years and worked in housekeeping at Hillside Manor Nursing Home in Glenwood, Iowa. Following her retirement, Pheba became a foster grandparent at the Glenwood State School.

Pheba took great pride in caring for her large yard. She loved mowing and picking up sticks. She also raised garden and especially enjoyed growing tomatoes. Pheba spent many hours watching the neighborhood children play near her home. She especially loved spending time with her family and being a grandma.

Just recently, Pheba entered Glen Haven Home in Glenwood where she passed away on April 24, 2012 at the age of 94 years, 10 months, and 24 days. She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Charles McCollom and Dave Brown; son Bill Williams; daughter Mildred Brown; granddaughter Michelle Briggs; one great grandchild; one great-great grandchild; brother Lewis Hill; sister Florence Hill; and half-siblings, Mildred, Ora, and Lottie Higgs.

Pheba is survived by her children, John Brown and wife Marsha of Malvern, Lottie Vanderwal and husband Paul of Allen, TX, and Henry Schwarz and wife Shirley of Salem, OR; stepchildren, Ruby Walden of St. Charles, MO, and Gerald Brown of Kansas City, MO; 15 grandchildren; 38 great grandchildren; 16 great-great grandchildren; one great-great-great grandbaby on the way; and other relatives and friends.

Memorials suggested to Hastings United Methodist Church.

Graveside Services & Interment in Hastings Cemetery.