James F. Brown, age 75, of Joplin, Mo. passed away at 11:27 p.m. Friday, July 13, 2018 at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. after a six-year battle with stage IV lung cancer. Dr. Brown was born September 10, 1942 in Fort Dodge, Iowa, the oldest son of Fred Vogler Brown and Frances Marie (Anderson) Brown.

James was raised on several farms near Gowrie, Iowa. During his adolescence, his passion was horses, especially riding rough stock in amateur rodeos in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. In 1959, he won second in the Bareback Bronc Riding at the Iowa High School Rodeo, and in 1960, he won the Saddle Bronc Riding Championship. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, Master’s Degrees in Counseling and English- Expository Writing, and his P.H.D in English all from the University of Iowa. He worked as a counselor for prisoners, troubled adolescents, and alcoholics in the Des Moines area for a number of years. He served his country in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.

Dr. Brown had lived in Joplin the last 33 years where he served as an English Professor at Missouri Southern State University until his retirement in 2014. He preferred to teach writing courses because he believed he could not only improve students’ writing competency, but also use writing to promote students’ holistic personal development. He previously taught at Missouri State University in Springfield.


Dr. Brown married Deborah Botts Pulliam January 6, 2013 in Joplin and she survives. Additional survivors include a son, Andrew Brown, Kansas City, Mo., a daughter, Catherine Moss, Kansas City, Mo. a step daughter, Sarah Wheeler (Dustin), Asotin, Wash., two brothers, Jerry Brown (Raymond Cooper), St. Paul, Min, and Russell Brown (Robin), Payson, Utah, a sister, Bette Patton, Bedford, Tex, an Uncle Roger Brown, Des Moines, IA, and two aunts, Violet Anderson, Lexington, Ky, and Dorothy Brown, Long Beach, CA. He was preceded in death by a sister, Bonnie Eccles. Also, James helped raise five step-children: Logan and Laramie Lively, and Joshua, Jason, and Summer Shackles.

James has described the purpose of his life as “growing and loving,” each of which takes many forms. He is grateful to all the special people who touched him during his lifetime.

A Memorial Service is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Saturday, July 28, 2018 at the Mason-Woodard Chapel followed by a family visitation. Memorial contributions are requested to the Lungevity Foundation in care of the Mortuary. Commital of ashes will be in the Gowrie, Iowa Cemetery on August 4, 2018. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Mason-Woodard Mortuary of Joplin, Mo.