E. Joan Brown, 83, formerly of Columbia City, died at 1:45 a.m. Friday, Dec. 11, 2015, at Covington Manor, Fort Wayne.

She was born June 23, 1932, in Fort Wayne, a daughter of the late Edison and Anna Florence (McCarty) Baumgartner. Her formative years were spent in Fort Wayne. She graduated from Central High School.

On Sept. 30, 1950, she was united in marriage to Dwight E. Brown. They made their home in Fort Wayne. In the early 1970s, the couple moved to rural Columbia City. Mr. Brown died Dec. 10, 2001.

She spent her work career at North American Van Lines, Fort Wayne, where she worked as a service coordinator for 25 years.

She is survived by two daughters: Deborah Pepple, Arcadia, Mich., and Kimberly Brown, Bradenton, Fla.; three grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and a sister, Jane Filler, Fort Wayne.

She was preceded in death by a son, Steve Brown, in 1995 and a brother, Homer Eugene “Gene” Baumgartner.

A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 16, at Smith and Sons Funeral Home, Columbia City. Visitation will be from 6 p.m. until the service at the funeral home Wednesday, Dec. 16.

For those who wish, memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.