Gordon A. Brown, 68, of Havana, died at 10 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2005, at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria.
He was born June 18, 1937, in Canton, the son of Howard Martin and Evelyn Kathleen Cox Brown. He married Portia Keefer on June 24, 1956, in Astoria. She survives.
Also surviving are one son, Todd (and Linda) Brown of Skokie; two daughters, Jill (and Michael) Hills of Havana and Ande (and David) Southey of Peoria; and seven grandchildren.
He started banking in 1955 with First National Bank of Peoria. He moved to Havana in 1958 and worked for State Bank of Havana, becoming president of the bank. The State Bank later became First Bank, from which he retired in 1999. He had been serving as chairman of the board of Havana Community Bank.
He was active in many organizations, including First United Methodist Church of Havana and the Mason County Housing Board, on which he served for many years, and was a long-time member of the Havana School Board. He also served on the Havana Rural Fire Department for many years, the Havana Optimist Club, was a founding member of Lakewood Golf Association and was a member of Havana Boat Club. He delivered Meals on Wheels and was a member of Ducks Unlimited, Havana Jaycees, Havana Lodge No. 88, AF&AM and the Ansar Shrine in Springfield.
Services were held Saturday at his church with Rev. Robert Smith officiating. Burial was in Laurel Hill Cemetery in Havana.
Memorials may be made to Mason District Hospital in Havana or to his church.