Aug. 28, 1930 - Oct. 3, 2026
Date of Service: Oct. 24, 2026
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Barbara Mae Norton Brown—a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, sister, and friend—passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 3, 2026. In the final months of her life, her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren were grateful for the opportunity to spend time with her and share many cherished memories.
Barbara was born to parents, Don Evan Norton and Vera Camilla Murphy Norton, on August 28, 1930, in Chinook, Montana. She was the second of five children and had two sisters (Dorothy and Linda) and two brothers (Gayle and Don Jr.). Barbara participated for more than six years in Montana 4-H clubs and was a Girl Scout. Her family moved to Idaho when she was 16, where Barbara was named one of ten outstanding seniors graduating from Burley High School. She then attended the Southern Idaho College of Education in Albion, Idaho, where she met and fell in love with student Amos Paul Brown.
Barbara was crowned Miss Idaho in 1950, representing Albion, Idaho. It was an exciting time for her as she experienced her first visit to the state capital in Boise to meet the governor, and her first plane ride as she flew to Atlantic City to represent Idaho in the Miss America Pageant. She returned to SICE, where she earned her teaching degree and enjoyed singing with various vocal ensembles and musicals.
She married Paul in the Idaho Falls Idaho Temple on August 24, 1951. They moved to Logan, Utah, where Barbara taught high school English while Paul finished his pre-dentistry requirements at Utah State University. In 1955, they moved to Chicago, where Paul graduated from Northwestern University School of Dentistry four years (and four children) later.
Barbara and Paul chose Burley, Idaho, to build the dental practice and raise their family. They had two more children while Barbara remained active in her community. She served on the school board, was chairman of the Cassia County Cancer Drive, taught high school, was a member of Sweet Adelines, and traveled to Washington, D.C. in 1976 with Idaho’s Bi-Centennial Choir to perform at the Kennedy Center.
Barbara was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served as chorister and ward organist for many years. In 1974, Barbara and Paul lost their 16-year-old son, Michael, in a car accident. Their understanding of the afterlife, deep faith in Jesus Christ, and loving support from family and friends gave them strength as they continued to meet the demands of their young family. After Paul retired, he and Barbara moved to Orem, Utah, where they met wonderful new friends and neighbors. Their adventures continued when they volunteered twice to teach English to medical students in China through BYU’s David M. Kennedy Center of International Studies.
As their children married and started their own families, Paul and Barbara traveled to attend blessings, baptisms, graduations, and the weddings of their 17 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren. From Texas to Toronto, their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren will always remember how important they were to their grandparents.
Barbara will be missed by her children, Bobbi (Ed) Reynolds, Paul Jr. (Dawn) Brown, David Brown, Douglas Brown, and Lisa (Doug) Webber. Grandma Brown deeply loved her grandchildren, Michelle Reynolds, Jason (Jamie) Reynolds, Allyson (Chad) Dunbar, Jennifer (Joe) Black, Jordan (Mara) Reynolds, Erin (Christian) Spackman, Brooke (Ben) Bergin, Paul (Chelsea) Brown III, Cameron (Anna) Brown, Alexandra (Jose) Franco, Tiffany Brown, Bari (Anthony) Julander, Diana (Richard) DeRitter, Deb Webber, Rachel (Reagen) Grossgebauer, and Courtney (Alex) Vanderholm. Her sense of humor and fun visits will be missed by her great-grandchildren, Maddie and Marley Angle; Gavin, Xander, and Piper Reynolds; Walker and Noah Dunbar; Ashton Black; Emma, Rachel, Luke, and Max Bergin; Paul IV, Asher, Michael Brown; Grant, Sophie, and Johnny Frandsen; Henry, Cosette, and June Brown; Brayden and Kaysia Julander; Noah, Isaiah, and Josiah Brown; Camden, Ella, Olive, and Grayson Grossgebauer; and Sawyer and Declan Vanderholm.
The Brown family will remain forever grateful for the compassion, humor, and grace shown during Barbara’s final months by her friends, the entire staff at Covington/Spring Gardens, and her nurse and caregivers from Bristol Hospice.
There will be a special viewing for family and friends from 5 until 7 p.m. Thursday, October 22, at Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home, located at 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley.
The funeral will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, October 24, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Suncrest 10th Ward, located at 95 N. 600 W., in Orem, where a viewing will be held from 9 until 10 a.m. prior to the service. Burial will follow at Orem City Cemetery.
A live webcast of the Funeral Service will be available and maintained at the following link: https://youtu.be/mgHvCrsjkO4.
