Bryan Robert Brown

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Bryan Robert Brown, 57 years old. Officer Bryan Brown was killed in the line of duty on Aug. 27, 2020 while employed by the Tohono O’odham Indian Nation in southern Arizona. When attempting to arrest a man high on drugs, the man stole his patrol car and then ran over him with it. He died from his injuries.

Bryan was born in Centralia, Wash., and has many relatives there but he grew up mostly in Castle Rock, Wash. He had a lot of experiences crammed into his 57 years. As a teen, they lived under the threat of Mt. St. Helens and then when the mountain blew, They walked to the nearby Cowlitz River and watched the mud and debris and their Boy Scout leader’s house flow by. After high school he joined the Army and spent most of the next 8 years stationed in Germany as an avionics specialist for a Black Hawk helicopter medivac unit, then stayed an additional 3 years as a contract worker performing the same job. He was a skilled mechanic and was often called upon to solve their most puzzling repairs. He had the opportunity to see a lot of Europe and participated in some historical evacuation events while there. He was also a veteran of the Desert Storm conflict.

After returning to the states, he eventually ended up in Arizona where a relative worked in the offices of the Tohono O’odham Indian Nation’s police department. They were looking for new recruits so he decided to go for it. He had been working for them for 19 years and had become very ingrained in their community during that time. The reservation was large, 120 miles wide and extended 60 miles south to the Mexican border. His first 9 years he was on patrol he had numerous experiences with illegal border crossings, drug smugglers, and was a specialized investigator of serious traffic accidents. He was so meticulous in gathering evidence for his cases that his reputation grew in the courtroom. Sometimes when the prosecution saw it was a case covered by officer Brown they would just shake their head and concede.

When their schools began to develop some serious problems, and he showed a real gift with youth as an Explorer leader, they moved him into being a Resource Officer for their schools. Over his 10 years as their Resource Officer he became a very beloved personality in the schools. Children mobbed him for hugs when he showed up on campus. He said he really wanted to focus on developing a good rapport with the young ones so they would have a healthy attitude about officers. Even on the occasional days that he did patrol through the villages, everyone could recognize his distinctive patrol car and come out to greet him and the children get hugs. Since the students were currently doing online classes because of Covid, he had returned to patrol duty until the classes resumed.

He leaves behind his wife, whom he adored. They went to school together in Castle Rock, but went separate ways and then ran across each other again on Facebook. They married 7 1/2 years ago and were still crazy in love and had lots of plans for their upcoming retirement of returning back to their beloved Washington, their families, and Seahawks country. No matter where he lived, he never gave up his loyalty to the Seahawks. He was part of a group of fans in Tucson that got together for the games. He also leaves behind a blended family of 7 children, 4 step children, and 8 grandchildren that he was an incredible father and granddad to. He was always expressing encouragement and pride to his children. He had 5 siblings; Steven Brown, Laura Brown Higgins, Landon Brown, Kelly Hawkins Cook, Jeffrey Hawkins, and stepbrother Kenny Hawkins, and stepsister Kathy Hawkins, and many nieces and nephews. He has a grandmother in Centralia, Elsie French, and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins in the area also. He is survived by his father and long time stepmother, Robert and Betty Voetberg Brown of Tumwater, Wash. His late mother, Diane French Hawkins, passed away in 1998.

Bryan had a personality that exuded a kindness and humor that people gravitated to and he kept in loyal contact with many friends over the years. Therefore, he not only leaves behind a large broke-hearted family, but former classmates, army buddies, Seahawks fans, school students and faculty, and fellow officers as well. He will not be forgotten.

There was a large memorial service held in Tucson on Sept. 12th honoring his service as both police officer and military veteran. The full event can be viewed on www.facebook.com/TON.Emergancy.Management/ A local memorial event will be held in the future when Covid restrictions are lifted.

To view this obituary please go to chronline.com/obituaries.