John Edward Browne
John Edward Browne of Hillsboro passed away Monday, March 28, 2022, at the Montgomery Nursing and Rehabilitation in Taylor Springs.
John was born on April 26, 1931, in Clarence, Missouri, to F.M. and Susan (Corcoran) Browne.
John graduated from Hunnewell High School in 1949 and married Peggy Purdy of Shelbina, later that same year.
John lived in numerous places ranging from Melbourne, Florida, to Copper Harbor, Michigan, locations that included Carlinville, Largo, Florida, Wood River, Wadena, Minnesota, Savannah, Georgia, and Lewistown, Missouri.
He retired after 26 years from Illinois Power (Ameren) in Wood River, as Operating Superintendent of Electric and Gas, beginning with Illinois Power in 1963 as an entry-level lineman, a job he loved. He began his career with Western Light and Telephone Company as Assistant Manager in Monroe City, Missouri, moving to manager of three more towns in Missouri and then soon after was on contract with Air Mod Corporation, which wired missile bases including Cape Canaveral, Florida, as part of Project Mercury, the US spaceflight program of the United States whose goal was to put a man in orbit.
He is survived by his wife, Peggy, of Hillsboro; children, Deborah Boston of Bloomington, David of Arlington, Virginia, Dan (Toni) of St. Louis, Missouri, Dana Reck (Jarrod Gansner) of Hillsboro; grandchildren, Sean Boston of Ames, Iowa, Taylor Browne of St Louis, Missouri, Caleb (Christina) Reck of Uniontown, Ohio, Madison (Matthew) Waters of Coffeen, Logan Reck of Hillsboro; great-grandchildren, Mason, Jaxon, and Rylee Reck of Uniontown, Ohio and Tinley Waters of Coffeen.
He was preceded in death by his parents and sisters, Betty Shumate, and Jean Clapper.
There was no visitation. A private burial at the family cemetery in Hunnewell, Missouri, was held Saturday, April, 2, 2022.
In memory of John, donations can be made to the IOOF Cemetery Association in care of: The Greening-Eagan-Hayes Funeral Home; 401 South Center Street; P.O. Box 516; Shelbina, Missouri 63468.
