Arlene Louise Brown

Arlene Louise Brown, AKA “Granny”, passed away at nearly 5 AM on Saturday, October 25, 2025, 91 years old. Born August 14, 1934, in Logansport, Indiana to Harold and Goldie Reeser, she was a graduate of Washington Township School. Arlene married James (Jim) Brown and they shared wonderful years together until he passed away in 2006. Throughout her years she had many jobs, including factory work, school crossing guard, convenience store clerk, and was a mentor to numerous adolescents wanting to learn to bake, yet worked at Logansport State Hospital thirty years until retired at 62.

For the last nearly twenty years her home has been in Indianapolis where she has been a member of Emerson Avenue Baptist Church, volunteering at their food pantry and calling to check on family, friends, and church members. An extremely talented baker, to know her probably was to be gifted with her delicious banana bread, pumpkin rolls, cookies, or other goodies. She had a heart of solid gold and would adopt you as her own family no matter who you were. She always looked for the good in all and encouraged everyone to volunteer and give to others. She even cared for the stray cats that came to her back porch and left dog biscuits at the end of her driveway for the dogs that came by. This earth will not be quite the same, for her love of others will be hard to match, as if after her the mold was broken. We can only hope to be as loving, kind, funny, stern when needed, hardworking, and as strong a woman you could ever ask for. She was a true women’s lib lady.

She will be dearly missed by those she left behind. She always called her daughters her three angels: Lou Ann Shaver (Ron), Sherry VanDyke (Rick), and Cathy Halter (Rob). Grandchildren are Bryan Shaver (Rochelle), Brett Shaver (Carrie), Zachary Hammonds, and Austin DeWitt (Joe). Step grandchildren are Katie Phipps (Mike), Loren Wolff (Ben), Meredith King (Charlie), and Angela Blake. These account for 21 great grandchildren and four great greatgrandchildren. She will also be missed by sisters Sue Seldenright (Chuck) and Addie Brew, nieces and nephews including Steve Brew (Kelly), who she thought of as the son she never had, as well as dozens of others she called family. In addition to her parents and beloved husband Jim, Arlene is preceded in death by her brothers Dewey and George Reeser and sister Martha Copenhaver.

There will be a celebration of life on Saturday, November 1, 2025, 1PM at Emerson Avenue Baptist Church, with food provided after. Her final resting place will be Everest Cemetery in Logansport.

We can take comfort that despite her long-term health challenges, she was able to maintain her independence to the end and that her struggles are done. She was able to look forward to joining Jim and her parents and will be waiting for us on the other side with a delicious homemade baked good and a hot coffee in hand. We all love you so much, Granny Brown.