Susan K. Brown

Susan K. Brown, 85, of Mason City, formerly of Sioux Falls, SD, died Friday, October 13, 2023, at MercyOne Medical Center – North Iowa.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 28, 2023, at 11 a.m., at Trinity Lutheran Church, 213 North Pennsylvania, with Rev. Dan Gerrietts officiating.

Visitation will be an hour prior at the church on Saturday.

Memorials may be directed to First Presbyterian Church, S West Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57105.

Sue was born on July 12, 1938, in South Falls, SD, the daughter of Ralph and Leola (Pipe) Salisbury.  In 1943 the family moved to Culbertson, NE, because the government assigned her father communications leader at the B-29 air base in southwestern Nebraska.  After the war the family moved to Omaha.  During college she worked at selling women’s clothing, at blue print service and at a drug store where she very successfully handicapped the horse races at AKSARBEN for the firemen across the street. In 1959, Sue married her first husband and the couple had 3 children. She graduated from Omaha University (now UNO) with an emphasis on art in 1960.  After graduation she taught elementary school in the Omaha area.  In 1966, she moved to the Twin Cities. Sue studied handwriting analysis and opened a business that served 25 national insurance companies in using handwriting analysis to ascertain if the individual could sell insurance. 

During the ensuing years Sue operated 5 small businesses that included the handwriting analysis, an entertainment agency, portrait painting, caricatures and unique rubber stamps for business people. During that time Sue resided in the Twin Cities, then Fort Collins, CO, and back to the Twin Cities. 

After 26 years of being single, in 2011 Sue married Ross K. Brown, a widower, and she moved to Owatonna, MN, where Mr. Brown resided.  Sue authored and illustrated an adult/children’s book entitled Making and Keeping Memories on the subject of trying to prevent Alzheimer’s disease. In 2016 the couple moved to Sioux Falls, SD, where they resided for 7 years.  They recently moved to Mason City, IA, to be closer to family.

Over her career, she was active in various chambers of commerce, speakers clubs, Kiwanis, and SCORE.  She taught church Sunday school to elementary age children and sung in church choirs for many years. Sue played the guitar. In earlier years she was an avid tennis player, and in later years skied, played golf and bicycled with Ross. 

She was very capable and multitalented, especially in art.  Her caricatures enhanced the appearance of the subject. Her art conveyed uplifting feelings to many people.  Sue had an outgoing, positive personality that exuded warmth and kindness, life and love. She was a friend to everybody, especially small children.

She leaves to mourn her passing her husband, Ross, daughters Laurie O’Gara and Ed, Amy Becker and Peter Karnilaw, son Steve Blair, grandchildren Molly Phillips, Sam Blair, Katie Henning, Matt Becker, 3 great grandchildren and sisters Linda Wilkins and Lucy Kennedy.