Date of Birth:
Sunday, October 9, 1927
Date of Death:
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Age:
89 years old

Emogene “Dusty” Lula Brown

Emogene L. ‘Dusty’ Brown, 89, of Rochester died Tuesday, February 7, 2017 at Samaritan Bethany Home on 8^th following a brief illness.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, February 10th at 11AM in River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home in Rochester with Pastor Dave Berg officiating. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service. Interment will follow the memorial service at Oakwood Cemetery.

Emogene Lula Rhodes was born October 9, 1927 in Sparta, Wisconsin to Harry Colfax Rhodes and Edith Eliza (Russell) Rhodes. She lived in Sparta until the age of 16 when her family moved to Rochester. She graduated from Rochester High School in 1946 where she belonged to the concert and marching bands, and was a National Honor Society member. She attended Rochester Junior College and worked at several local businesses including Rochester Dairy and Lawler’s Cleaners. On September 11, 1948, she married Donald A. Brown at Trinity Lutheran Church. After her marriage, Dusty worked in the Business Office at Mayo Clinic for 10 years until the birth of her first daughter, Lynnette. At that time, she became a full-time homemaker. Two more daughters followed, Michele and Wendy.

Dusty was very active in the Washington Elementary School PTA, Brownies, and Girl Scouts. In 1972, she received special recognition for her service as a Brownie and Girl Scout leader and had her picture on the front page of the Post Bulletin. She was an avid bowler, bowling in the “Cereal League” for over 30 years at Recreation Lanes. She spent many an Easter Sunday morning helping make scrambled eggs, sausage, and pancakes at Gloria Dei Church for the Easter Sunday Brunch. She was a wonderful cook and baker – no one made better meatloaf, baked beans, potato salad or yellow cake with browned butter frosting.

She loved music and talked about how she and siblings would gather around the piano to sing the popular songs of the day, hymns, and Christmas Carols. Big Band tunes from the 40’s and 50’s were some of her very favorites. She enjoyed gardening and filled the planter in front of the house with petunias, marigolds, alyssum, and geraniums every May. The first week of October found Dusty and Don on their annual road trip to Grand Marais, Minnesota – one of their favorite places and where they spent their honeymoon.

In 2009 she and her husband found a new home at Shorewood Senior Campus. After Don passed away in 2012, Dusty moved to Samaritan Bethany Home on 8^th. Her room boasted one of the best views ever, looking out towards Silver Lake – perfect for viewing the fireworks on the 4^th of July! She never went anywhere without a fresh coat of lipstick, Kleenex in her pocket, and hair in place with a whoosh of hair spray.

Dusty is survived by her daughters, Lynnette (Mark) Stadtherr of Wabasha, Michele (David) Vanderburg of Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and Wendy Brown of Spring Valley; eight grandchildren, Ari Stadtherr of New Brighton, Kelsey Stadtherr (fiancée Chris Lee) of Waseca, Lindsey (Rod) Fleming of Raleigh, North Carolina, Sean (Shannon) Vanderburg of Garner, North Carolina, and Aaron (Ellen) Burt, Jade Burt, Allison Burt, and Drew Burt, all of Rochester; and seven great-grandchildren.

In addition to her spouse, Dusty was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Caroline Staniford and Wilma Harrie; and brothers, Russell Bell and William (Bill) Bell.

We would like to express our sincere thanks to the staff at Samaritan Bethany who took such good care of Dusty during the past four years.

Memorials are preferred to the family.