Harvey Brown Obituary

Major (Ret) Harvey Gene Brown was born January 16, 1938 in Matador Texas to Hobert and Helen Brown. He was in the first graduating class of Palo Duro High school in 1956. He married Cleva Joy Gordon on Dec. 14, 1957 while serving in the Texas National Guard. Harvey soon transferred to regular Army.

After serving as a Nike missile crew member for several years, he attended the Officers Candidate School and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry. He served 2 combat tours in Viet Nam as an advisor to South Vietnamese forces. His other assignments included Fort Lewis, WA, Fort Wainwright, AK, Fort Benning, GA, and Bremerhaven, Germany. Of note, he served as a member of the jury during the court martial of LT William Calley in 1970.

His awards and decorations include the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Bronze Star Medal for Valor and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm device. In 1974, he and his wife adopted twin infants.. He retired from the Army in 1976 in Colorado Springs, CO at the rank of Major. After retirement he was employed as a recruiter for the oil and gas industry. Harvey volunteered as a Cub Scout Master and Pop Warner football coach.

After 50 years of marriage, his sweet Cleva passed away in Colorado Springs, CO. Harvey reconnected with and married his Jr. High School sweetheart Venita Lewis Hardie and moved to Amarillo.

He enjoyed monthly meals with former classmates, his large array of music, reading Tom Clancy novels and researching his Native American heritage and genealogy. Harvey stayed politically involved, loved helping people and wasn't judgmental of anyone. He was dearly loved and will be deeply missed.

Harvey was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife Cleva Joy Brown; a son, Karl Allen Brown and a grandson, Joshua Allan-Scott Jackson and son-in-law Ed Sells.

Major (Ret) Harvey Brown is survived by his second wife of the home, Venita Lewis Hardie Brown; a daughter, Viki Lynn Brown of Colorado Springs, CO; 2 sons, Rick Gene Brown and spouse Roy Merkle of Colorado Springs, CO and CSM (Ret) Jeffrey Clayton Brown and wife Cynthia of Simpsonville, SC; a daughter, Kimberly Dawn Fox and husband Andrew of Parker, CO; 2 brothers, Michael Clayton Brown and wife Jackie of Keller and Hobert Clayton Brown Jr. and wife Terri of Grapevine; a sister, Suzanne Smith of Amarillo; grandchildren, Amber Spillane and husband Bowman, Shaun Marsh, Lacey Marsh, Jeremy Brown and wife Ashley, Jessica Brown, Katie Fox, Michael Fox and Morgan Fox; 4 step children; 9 step grandchildren; and 7 step great-grandchildren

Visitation was held from 5-7 p.m. Monday, November 18, 2013 at the funeral home.

Funeral services were held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 19, 2013 at Griggs Schooler Gordon Funeral Home Pioneer Chapel with Dennis Melton officiating.

Inurnment will be at Arlington National Cemetery. Griggs-Schooler-Gordon Funeral Directors, 5400 S. Bell.

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66675. www.woundedwarriorproject.org

Please leave online condolences at www.griggschoolergordon.com