Helen Brown

Helen Brown
Helen Josephine Peterson Brown was born on June 28, 1919, to Axel M. and Lena M. (Robb) Peterson at the Peterson Ranch north of Haigler, Nebraska. Helen graduated from Laird High School in 1937 and attended some college classes at Denver University in Denver, Colorado.
After numerous moves during the early years of marriages to Bud Traxler (June 24, 1942), and later to Clarence Odell (May 12, 1956), Helen finally sold her holdings north of Wray, Colorado when she married Bob Brown on June 5, 1970, and became part owner and partner in the Brown Ranch on the hill north of Haigler and south of Champion, Nebraska. Bob and Helen retired from farming and ranching in the spring of 1996 and bought a home in Imperial, Nebraska, where Helen continued to live.
Helen’s hobbies over the years have consisted of horseback riding in the early years, followed by the care and love for all animals, gardening, crocheting, and knitting. While living on the Brown Ranch, Helen had chickens, ducks, geese, peacocks, guineas, pigs, goats, bottle calves, and even a llama and a donkey. Of course there were always some horses too.
Helen was preceded in death by her second husband Clarence Odell in 1970, first husband Alva (Bud) Traxler in 1993, and her late husband Bob Brown in 2007. She was also preceded in death by brothers, Hoyt, Amel, Elmer, Leigh, Carl, and one sister Fern. Also preceding Helen in death is one son, Thomas Lee Traxler who died in 2001, stepdaughter Gwenn Ellis, grandsons Elliott Dowlin, Billy Jo Pawnee, granddaughters Candy Jo Westrand and Peggy Sue Pawnee. Helen passed away Wednesday morning, March 2, 2011, at the Chase County Community Hospital, Imperial. She was 91 years of age.
Survivors Include one sister Dorothy and husband Harry Blecha of Wray, Colorado, daughter Karen Liptrap and husband Bob of Pueblo West, Colorado, son Steven D. Traxler and wife Brenda of Aurora, Colorado, and son Craig J. Odell and wife Dee of Gurley, Nebraska, stepson Stan Brown and wife Judy of Lincoln, Nebraska, and stepdaughter Mable Jensen and husband Tony of Sterling, Colorado. Helen lived with the Ross Dowlin family after her sister Fern passed and assisted in the care and rearing of the Dowlin children. Those children are Charles Edwin Dowlin, Phillip Dean Dowlin, Carol Lynn Ulrich, and Kenneth Everett Dowlin.
23 Grandchildren: Michael Dell Anderson, Anthony Wayne Anderson Alan Dale Traxler, Lindsey Renae Traxler, Krystle Ann Odell, Jodie Ja Ewald, Angie Rae Odell, Kerry Dowlin, Patrick Dowlin, Deanne Dowlin, Michael Dowlin, Darren Ulrich, Stephanie Skinner, Kevin Dowlin, Kristopher Dowlin, Melissa Brown, Tami Ruch, Jerry Westrand, Carolyn Pawnee, and Sam Pawnee Numerous great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild
Funeral Services for Helen Brown were held Saturday morning, March 5, 2011, 10:30 A.M. at the Champion Community Center, Champion, NE, with Martin Harmon officiating. Interment followed at the Crete Cemetery, Champion.
A memorial has been established to the Imperial Senior Center
Visitation was held Friday afternoon, March 4, 2011, 2:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. at the funeral home in Imperial.
On line condolences can be left at liewerfuneralhome.com
LIEWER FUNERAL HOME IN CHARGE OF ARRANGEMENTS