Gary Brown (age 81) passed away on November 12, 2019.  Gary was a graduate of EWU earning degrees in nursing, psychology and sociology.  He was born at home, the oldest of four children to Ann and Bill Brown of Spokane.  As a boy, Gary helped run the family's soda fountain, "The Sugar Bowl" in Millwood.  He worked at Helfrey's Grocery Store and on his Uncle Ward's dairy farm.  Later Gary served in the Air National Guard where he investigated, photographed, and compiled dossiers of aircraft accident scenes and delivered high level documents.

Gary was a dialysis technician at Sacred Heart Hospital and was hired by Sister Peter Claver to be the center's director. He pioneered the areas first in-home dialysis treatments and won a national award for his work. He conducted tours of the kidney center for Senators Tom Foley and "Scoop" Jackson (presidential candidate) and was featured in the Spokesman Review several times. He worked as an operating room nurse in open heart surgery and was often asked to be on the most difficult cases. He met his wife Sharon, a nursing student, at the Park Inn Restaurant near the hospital and left his career to care for her near the end of their 40 years together.

Gary was passionate about his hobbies. An avid photographer, he was always the one behind the camera.  He was a licensed airplane pilot. He enjoyed movies, music, golfing, fishing, target shooting, playing cards and water skiing. In the summertime, he filled his boat with extended family for camping trips to Kalispell Island at Priest Lake. Always surrounded by books, he loved researching and learning about medicine, history, and his many other interests. Gary was extremely generous and saw the good in everyone.  He had a talent for giving nick names and had a great sense of humor.  He was a very handsome man with a gorgeous smile who dressed to the nines.

Gary Brown was a beloved father, brother, uncle, grandfather, and friend to many.  Gary is survived by his siblings Judy (Brown) Ostendorf, Susie (Brown) Cockrill, and Jim Brown, his daughters Debbie Brown (Jim Hendricks) and Molly (Brown) Bove (Thomas), and his grandchildren Mark Bove and Christine (Bove) Horst.  Heartfelt gratitude to Sullivan Park, Drs Elizabeth Ho and Dean Hill, and his angels Mike Gilbert, Michelle Talbott and Kim Francom for their great kindness to Gary in his last years. At his request, no memorial services will be held and he will be laid to rest with his wife at Holy Cross Cemetery.