Davis Funeral Chapel Inc. Leavenworth, Kansas 66048

Royal Brown was born June 21, 1917, in Herington, Kan., the son of Royal and Celia Baxter Brown. He died June 10, 2007, two weeks shy of his 90th birthday.

He married Bettye Collard of McGehee, Ark.

He was an infantry officer who served in three wars. He saw foreign service in China, Burma, India, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Canada, where he was the director of instruction at the Royal Canadian School of Infantry. His decorations include the Legion of Merit with an Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star for Valor with three clusters and the Combat Infantry Badge with two stars.

His military education included the Army Information School, the Infantry School, the Command and General Staff College and the Army War College. He also held degrees from the University of Maryland and George Washington University, where he was elected to Phi Kappa Phi National Scholastic Honor Society.

Gov. Otto Kerner of Illinois appointed Brown as an honorary brigadier general of the Lincoln Brigade. He was also an honorary member of the Royal Highland Regiment, and proudly wore the Black Watch tartan. Brown was inducted into the Infantry Hall of Fame.

He was aide-de-camp to Bess Truman at the death and burial of President Harry Truman. He was the military escort for the Truman family at the funeral of President Dwight Eisenhower.

Brown’s last duty station was Fort Leavenworth, where he was director of Resident Instruction and assistant to the deputy commandant of the CGSC.

Brown’s commitment of service to his country and community did not end with his military retirement. As executive director of the United Way of Leavenworth County for 14 years, he was instrumental in helping to engage the community in understanding significant local issues; identifying the underlying causes; and developing strategies to pull together financial and human resources to address them. Under his leadership, the United Way of Leavenworth County focused on helping children and youth success; improving access to health care; and promoting self-sufficiency for the people of this community.

Brown was honored as Leavenworth “Citizen of the Year” in 1981. He was a founding board member of Neighborhood House, Leavenworth Hospice, Saint Vincent’s Clinic, S.T.A.Y. and Leavenworth Area Development. Brown was the first chairman of the Civilian Advisory Council of the United States Penitentiary, and served in that capacity for a number of years. He was also active on committees for the Community Center and the Leavenworth Public Library. Brown was active in both of Leavenworth’s community hospitals. He served as chairman of the Board of Trustees of Saint John Hospital for a number of years, and volunteered at Cushing Memorial Hospital, where he and Bettye were “Volunteers of the Year” in 2006. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Leavenworth-Lansing Area Chamber of Commerce and a long-time Chamber ambassador. He relished welcoming visitors to the area as an ambassador at Kansas City International Airport. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Leavenworth and an active student of the Bible.

Brown also entered city government and was a strong and progressive member of the Leavenworth City Commission. He served as mayor of the city of Leavenworth for two terms from 1976 to 1984, during which he planted the seeds for the 20th Street Trafficway; oversaw the widening of 10th Street; and began renovation of the Riverfront Community Center. Brown was chairman of the Leavenworth Human Relations Commission. He was appointed by Kansas Gov. John Carlin to the state’s Governmental Ethics Commission and served at the governor’s pleasure on the Blue Ribbon Committee on Professional Negotiations. Brown was instrumental in establishing the Small Cities Advisory Council of the U.S. Council of Mayors. He served for three years on the Board of Directors of the League of Kansas Municipalities, and served on several committees of the National League of Cities.

Brown was a proud Rotarian, serving as president of the Leavenworth Rotary Club and district governor of Rotary District 5710. At the international level, Brown held membership on two consultative committees, and was on the membership development committee of Rotary International. He was a delegate at Rotary International’s Council on Legislation in Caracas, Venezuela. Royal was a Paul Harris Fellow. He and Bettye endowed multiple Paul Harris Fellowships supporting international scholarships and educational and humanitarian programs around the world.

Brown became a Mason in Shanghai, China. He is a past master of Hancock Masonic Lodge and a knight commander of the Court of Honor of the Scottish Rite. He was also a member of the York Rite: Chapter, Council and Commandry of Leavenworth.

Brown was a member of the Association of the U.S. Army and served on a national AUSA committee. He was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Retired Officers Association. He was active on the Frontier Army Museum committee.

He served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Armed Forces Cooperating Insurance Association.

Brown was a voracious reader of history and biographies. He was proud of his American and British heritage, and was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution.

He was a life member of the Lincoln Council, Boy Scouts of America, and was a board member of the Santa Fe Trail Council of the Girl Scouts.

Brown was an avid runner well into his 80s. He was an enthusiastic but unspectacular bowler, serving as president of his league for three terms and bowling in two leagues until three years ago.

Royal Brown was preceded in death by a daughter, Dr. Susan Brown.

He is survived by Bettye, his wife of more than 60 years; a daughter, Dr. Linda Brown of Leavenworth; and four nephews, Kent Stuart (Eileen), Mark Stuart (Bette), Phil Stuart and Alan Stuart (Mary).

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 14, 2007, at the Davis Funeral Chapel, 531 Shawnee St. in Leavenworth.

The funeral service will be at 9 a.m. Friday, June 15, 2007, at the First United Methodist Church, Fifth and Chestnut streets in Leavenworth. Burial will follow in the Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to the First United Methodist Church’s elevator fund.