Hazel Afton Brown

BURLEY – Hazel Afton Yeaman Brown, 97, of Burley, passed away on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2013, at Countryside Care and Rehabilitation Center in Rupert.

Afton was born on March 30, 1916, in Downey, Idaho, the youngest of four children born to Andrew Jackson and Mary Belle Bloxham Yeaman. When she was 4-years-old, she moved with her family to Burley, Idaho, having traveled on the Union Pacific Railroad. She has resided in the Mini-Cassia area ever since. She attended Burley schools and graduated from the Burley High School in 1934. In 1936, she married Ernest P. Gee of Oakley and they later divorced. In 1946, she married Q Dellos Brown in Elko, Nev., and their marriage was later solemnized in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple. They were married for 49 years until Q’s passing on March 13, 1995.

Afton worked for 22 years as a secretary at the Heyburn and Paul Elementary Schools, retiring in 1978. She was an active member of the LDS Church and served faithfully throughout her life. She loved music and was the ward Relief Society music director for many years. She was also a member of the Sweet Adelines women’s chorus and had served as its director. She was blessed with a beautiful alto singing voice, and along with her friend, June Paskett Rasmussen, sang at more than 100 funerals throughout the community.

She is survived by her children, Sherrall (Delwyn) Hanks of Rupert, and Joy Dawn (William) Stuart and Hugh Dellos Brown, all of Twin Falls; a foster-daughter, Lois Brookshier of Twin Falls; four grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

In addition to her husband, Q, she was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers; one sister; a granddaughter, Amber Brown; and a daughter-in-law, Mary Jean Brown.

The funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18, at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, where friends and family may call from 6 until 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17, and from noon until 12:45 p.m. Wednesday prior to the service. Officiating will be Bishop Steve Garn. Burial will be in Gem Memorial Gardens.