Tomorrow, April 15, is the birthday of my father, Cecil Dale Brown. He would have been 78 years old. He died in 1978, 6 months after he married my wife and I in Salinas, California while on missionary deputation. He died in MD Anderson Hospital in Houston, Texas of complications from an improperly administered IV in Guatemala. A resulting blood clot broke loose and instantly destroyed his heart. He was only 46 years old. I still miss him terribly. I was only 22 when he died. I had just started my full time ministry a few years before and felt the loss deeply. My mom, brothers, Carl (18) and Loren (11) were also devastated. It was so unexpected as he had seldom been sick in his life.
He was born in a simple log cabin in Prior, Oklahoma in 1932. Because of an abusive step-father he ran away from home at the age of 14 and never returned. He worked his way north, following the fruit crops to Idaho where an aunt and uncle lived. They insisted he finish high school where he joined the Army ROTC. His mother had worked for an army officer whose connections managed to get him accepted with a scholarship into West Point. After his high school graduation he packed his car and prepared to leave when a snow storm struck his town. Since the roads were closed he decided to attend a local Pentecostal church to say goodbye to a few of his high school classmates who attended there. It was his first experience in an Apostolic church service and he was very moved. He went to the altar that morning and repented of his sins gave his heart to the Lord. After receiving a Bible Study in the afternoon he was baptized in the name of Jesus and received the baptism of the Holy Ghost that evening. His life long dream to be a military officer instantly melted as God spoke to his heart about becoming a minister of the Gospel. He never unloaded his car, but relinquished his West Point scholarship and moved to St. Paul, Minnesota to attend Apostolic Bible Institute. There he met Lolita Gleason who was living with her brother and wife. She moved back to her hometown of Oregon City, Oregon. After 2 years he followed her; joining the first graduating class of the newly formed Conquerors Bible College in 1953.
He married Lolita in 1954 and they started their ministry assisting her brother, Rev. Orion Gleason, who had just started a new church in Albany, Oregon. Their lives were fully and sacrificially given in service to the Kingdom of God. They in turn started numerous home missions churches in Washington, Oregon and Pennsylvania before answering the call to Foreign Missionary work in Peru, South America with the Robert Nix family. They served as missionaries there for 9 years before changing their field to Guatemala. He started a Bible School in the capital city which is continuing to train and send out pastors and workers even today. His death was premature in our eyes, but God does all things well.
Dale Brown was a man of strong faith and deep convictions. His was passionate about the Apostolic Doctrine as found in the book of Acts in the Bible as well as separation from the world and holy living. As a boy, I loved his teaching and preaching and never tired of hearing my father minister. He left nothing of financial value behind when he passed away. He and my mother did, however, leave a wonderful legacy of truth to their 3 children, who are all licensed ministers and pastors.
At his passing, Lolita moved back to her family in Oregon City where she lives today. At a youthful 81, she still carries a missionary passion for the lost, witnessing and giving Bible Studies anytime, anywhere to anyone.
I have been so blessed to have been raised in the home of Dale and Lolita Brown. There was no worldly honor or acclaim given to him at his passing, but heaven will have the last word. Jesus has for him a crown of righteousness along with those precious words, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Enter thou into the joys of the Lord". I could have been been born into any home, anywhere, but I thank the Lord for the wonderful, godly heritage given to me by my precious parents!
Only eternity will reveal the many, many souls who were transformed by their dedicated ministry.
Happy Birthday, Dad. Our loss was certainly Heaven's gain. I love you more than words could ever say.
