Cleo L. Brown, 81, of Columbia City, passed away at 6:36 pm Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2014, at Parkview Whitley Hospital.

Born on April 24, 1933, in Whitley County, he was the son of Lee and Ethel (Weeks) Brown.

On Nov, 14, 1959, he married Annabelle L. Brown.

A lifetime resident in Whitley County, Cleo graduated from Columbia City High School with the Class of 1951. After high school, he joined the U.S. Navy and served in the Korean War and was discharged in 1955.  He owned the tavern “Hallway” from 1970 until 1981 and drove truck for Snider National Trucking, retiring in February of 1999. He was a member of the VFW, American Legion No. 98, Moose and Eagles #1906.

He is survived by daughters, Diana Bagley of Warsaw and Linda (Bill) Neace of Huntertown; son, Lynn (Dana) Brown of Albion; nine grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; one brother, Gale Brown of Phoenix, Ariz.; and one sister, Sandra (Bill) Watkins of Columbia City. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Annabelle Brown; brother, Richard Brown and sisters, Deloris Mock, Myrna Yancy and Bonnie Knetter.

Visitation will be held from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5, at DeMoney-Grimes, a Life Story Funeral Home, 600 Countryside Drive, Columbia City.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, October. 6, 2014 at the funeral home. Burial will follow at South Park (Annex) Cemetery with the Whitley County Korean War Veterans rendering military honors.

Memorial donations may be made to American Cancer Society.