J. R. and Alice Brown and their dog, GiGi, have lived at 3317 S. Southlyn Place for 14 years. Alice came to Springfield in 1951 and was a hairdresser for 10 years but then became owner/broker of Mann Realtors for 30 years from which she retired. Alice and retired Air Force Colonel J. R. met and married in 2002. J. R. enlisted in 1943 attending gunnery and aircraft engine school, later attending flying school, received his wings, and graduated as 2nd Lieutenant. He went to combat in 1944 with the 394th Bomb Group flying missions in support of General Patton, later to Korea with the 18th Fighter Bomb Wing and decades later in the 3rd Air Division on Guam in support of operations in Vietnam, finally serving as Comptroller at the Pentagon. He retired from the military in 1975 after 33 years and after receiving numerous medals and awards for his service including the Air Medal and Legion of Merit. J. R. then became Professor of Accounting at SMSU and retired after 15 years of teaching. J. R. is proud of his own and his family’s military service and speaks highly of his great grandfather who was a colonel in the 1st Iowa Cavalry in the Civil War and also served as an Iowa Senator.
