BROWN, THOMAS CHRISTOPHER, JR.  11/8/1933 – 12/7/2019 Passed away in his home at age 86. Born at home in Valley City, ND on 11/8/1933.  He was the second child of Thomas and Lillian Brown. He has an older sister, Thomasine, and two younger siblings – Johanne (deceased) and James (deceased). Tom lived his childhood years in Valley City, where his parents owned and operated an insurance company. Although he lived in town, he spent as much time as he could at his friend Alan Starke’s farm outside of Valley City.  Tom left home in November, 1950, just after his 17th birthday, to join the United States Air Force. He underwent training, and was preparing to deploy to Korea, when the conflict ended. He was honorably discharged in September, 1954.  Tom returned to Valley City to find that the little sister of his best friend Alan had grown into a beautiful young lady. Tom and Grace (Starke) were married in September 1955. They moved to Fargo, ND to start their married life and allow Tom to attend North Dakota State University. Their first two sons, Tom III and Stuart, were born in Moorehead, MN. After Tom’s graduation, they moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where Tom started his career in the paint and coatings industry. Here they had two more children – John and Jennifer. They then moved to Bloomfield Hills, MI, where they raised their family.  After a short time in Florida and Indiana, Tom and Grace moved to Ortonville, Michigan, where they spent their remaining years. Tom cared for his lovely bride Grace while she battled Alzheimer’s disease until she passed away in 2011.  In their 56 years of marriage, Tom and Grace were rarely apart. They enjoyed gardening, hunting, boating, and fishing together. They had many travels to warm locations, especially during the cold Michigan winters. They were a great team, and although they endured many hardships, they supported each other at all times.  Tom was preceded in death by his wife Grace and two sons, John and Stuart. He is survived by his son Tom (Donna) Brown and daughter Jennifer (Scott) Beam. He is also survived by his grandchildren Kelly (Gian Zazzaro) Ainsworth, Tom and Rick Brown, Michael and Hannah Beam. His most recent joy has been his great granddaughter Gabriella Grace Zazzaro.  His family is asking that donations be made in his honor to The Salvation Army or The American Cancer Society.  Memorial service will be on Jan 2, 2020 at 11:00 am at Great Lakes National Cemetery, Holly, MI.  To send a condolence to the family go to www.villagefh.com