It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Vernon ‘Joe’ James LaRue Brown. Joe passed away at home at the age of 86 years. Joe, or ‘Pop’ to Angie and Rayne Jackson or ‘Mr. CAT’ as Sam Glover used to call him, was born to Don and Agnes Brown of Delburne, Alberta on May 20, 1940. Joe spent eighty-five of his eighty-six years at Delburne. Much of his pre-school years were spent riding on a “CAT” with his dad, breaking land for local farmers. That set a precedent for Joe. He was running his own “CAT” at seventeen and continued working for farmers until he was seventy-seven years old. He always said, “I loved every minute of it!”. Joe took his schooling in Delburne, then went to both NAIT and SAIT where he obtained his Red Seal in Automotive and Heavy Duty Mechanics. He was always proud about going from his 2nd year automotive to being a direct entry into 3rd year Heavy Duty and being top of the class! That is something to be proud of for sure! After working all day on the CAT, brushing or road building, he spent many more hours in the shop working on tractors, vehicles, motorbikes or snowmobiles, or anything else. Ang remembers many phone calls or guys coming over to have Pop fix something for them. Joe and his dad, Don Brown, had the Ford dealership and a Kawasaki dealership in Delburne. Joe loved most things “antique”, but his favorite was the 1936 Diamond T he found in Manitoba. It is much the same as his dad trucked with in the 1930’s and 1940’s when Browns Transport was the first trucking company on Highway 21. It was his pride & joy. He drove his Diamond T or the 1916 McLaughlin Buick in the Delburne parade for many years. Joe visited Ireland a couple of times, and said it felt like he was home. He had hoped to return there. Joe didn’t have any children of his own, but Angie Jackson was lucky to call him Dad for the last fifty years and Rayne Jackson called him Pop. Joe was so proud of his granddaughter Rayne. He taught her to drive the McLaughlin and loved to boast about how good she drove it. Joe is lovingly remembered by his daughter Angie (Lèo) and granddaughter, Rayne (Philip), his sister, Elaine Smith (Bill) and his brother, Jack Brown and his sister-in-law, Mavis Brown, as well as numerous nieces and nephews and lots of people that loved him. Lots of Angies’ friends called Joe their second dad. He was predeceased by his parents, Don and Agnes Brown, his sisters, Vera Jefferies and Marion Walker, and his brother, Marl Brown. A Celebration of Joe’s Life will be held at a later date.

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Parkland Funeral Home and Crematorium (Red Deer)

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6287 – 67A Street (Taylor Drive), Red Deer. 403.340.4040.

• Date : 2026-08-01
• Location : Parkland Funeral Home (Red Deer) www.parklandfuneralhome.com 403.340.4040