Richard Brown

Richard Brown, 70, of Fargo, died Saturday, November 1, 2008, at his home in Fargo. Richard L. Brown was born September 15, 1938, in St. Paul, Minnesota, to Robert and Beatrice (Schlattman) Brown. The family moved to Duluth, Minnesota, when Richard was three years old. He graduated from Cudahy High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He attended the University of Minnesota and the North Dakota State College of Science. Richard worked for MNDOT for 23 years before moving to Bismarck, North Dakota. He served a six year term in the U.S. Army National Guard. He married Lois Hedahl June 23, 1973, at the Chapel in the Hills outside Rapid City, South Dakota. They moved to Bismarck in 1979, where he was an officer of Hedahls, Inc. from 1979-1991. While in Bismarck, he was active in many civic organizations. He served as President of the Bismarck School Board, a trustee and officer of the Bismarck State College Foundation Board, First Bank board member, Chairman of the Board of the MedCenter One College of Nursing, President of WAM (Warehousers and Manufacturers), President of the Congregation of Trinity Lutheran Church, a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and an Assistant Scoutmaster. Richard moved to Fargo in 1992, to accept the position of Vice President of Quality Improvement at BCBS of ND. After his retirement, he was elected to the North Dakota Senate in 2002, where he served on the Human Services and Government and Veterans’ Affairs Committees. During the 2006 legislative session, he worked as a lobbyist for APT, Inc. on behalf of the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society. While in Fargo, Richard was a longtime supporter of the Village Family Service Center, serving as Chairman of the Board of both the Board of Directors and the Foundation Board. He also served as a member of the First Lutheran Church Council and President of the Congregation, Vice Chairman of the ND Republican Party, Chairman of the Board of Fraser, LTD., President of the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony Board of Directors, and a member of the North Dakota Arts Council. Richard is survived by his wife Lois of Fargo; children, Allison (Jack) Schmitz of West Fargo, ND; Hillary Brown of Minneapolis, MN; and Derrick Brown of Fargo, ND; brothers, James (Bonnie) Brown of Lino Lakes, MN; Robert Brown, FL; David Brown (Dianne Goetz) of Vadnais Heights, MN; sisters, Candice Schroeder of Spring Lake Park, MN; and Karen Kohl (David Faint) of Lake Elmo, MN; and two grandchildren, Morgan and Kyle Schmitz. He is preceded in death by his parents. Memorials are preferred to the Village Family Service Center or First Lutheran Church of Fargo. Funeral: Thursday, November 6, 2008, at 10:30 AM, at First Lutheran Church, Fargo Visitation: Wednesday, November 5, 2008, from 5 PM to 7PM, at Hanson-Runsvold Funeral Home Prayer Service: Wednesday, November 5, 2008 at 7 PM, Hanson-Runsvold Funeral Home Interment: Riverside Cemetery, Fargo, North Dakota