Dr. Robert G. Brown

Dr. Robert Grover Brown (“Grover”), 94, passed away peacefully on Aug. 10, 2020.

A celebration of life will be planned at a future date.

Grover was born on April 25, 1926, in Shenandoah, Iowa, to Grover Whitney and Irene (Frink) Brown. Upon high school graduation in 1944, he enlisted in the United States Navy.  He served honorably until his discharge in 1946.

Grover earned his BS, MS, and PhD degrees in Electrical Engineering at Iowa State. He established a life-long career at Iowa State as a professor of Electrical Engineering until his retirement in 1989. He received the honor of the Anson Marston Distinguished Professorship in Engineering in 1976, and held the title of Distinguished Professor Emeritus at his death.

On May 23, 1953, Grover married Lova McLaughlin, of Minburn, Iowa. They resided in Ames and Grover began his career at Iowa State. They had two daughters, Janet (Neumann) and Lori (Richardson) and remained married until Lova’s death in 2006.

In 1972, Grover and Lova purchased a cottage on the South Shore of Clear Lake. They and their family enjoyed many summers and winter weekends there, and upon Grover’s retirement, he and Lova moved permanently to their Clear Lake home.  Grover loved boating, fishing, and especially sailing.  He belonged to the Clear Lake Yacht Club for many years and participated regularly in their weekend sailboat races, either sailing his own Y-boat, or crewing on an E-boat.

In 2012, Grover married Joanne Andersen, a classmate from Shenandoah. They resided at The Village, in Indianola. Joanne passed away April 25, 2020.

Grover was a kind and generous man and a loving husband and father. He will be missed by many.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Lova; brother, Ben; sister, Evelyn (Murphy); and his wife, Joanne.

He is survived by his daughters, Janet and Lori; his niece, Jennifer (McLaughlin-Stevens); two granddaughters; two grandsons; two grandnephews; four great-grandchildren; and numerous other family members.

Memorials in his name may be directed to: Clear Lake Yacht Club Sailing School www.clycss.com/donate/ or The Wesley Life Meals on Wheels Fund:   https://www.wesleylife.org/giving/donate-now (Choose Wesley Life Meals on Wheels Fund).  To submit an online condolence, visit the website at www.overtonfunerals.com.