MOUND VALLEY — John L. Brown, 80, a longtime excavation contractor of Mound Valley, died Tuesday evening, Sept. 27, 2011, from injuries sustained in a lawn mowing accident at his home.

He was born on June 16, 1931, in Wichita to Clyde and Ruby (Posey) Brown. He grew up and attended school in the Wichita/Derby area.

On July 25, 1952, he married his schoolmate, Darlene Conrad, in Chanute.

He served in the U.S. Army from April 1955 until being honorably discharged in October 1956. In 1957, the couple moved from Wichita to Mound Valley, where he farmed until 1960 and worked at the Mound Valley Co-op. He then worked for Keltz Construction before starting his own trenching and backhoe business in 1966. In 1994, at the age of 63, he retired.

He enjoyed spending time with his family and working.

Survivors include his wife, Darlene Brown of the home; a son, Kirk Brown of Mound Valley; two daughters, Johnia Brown of Dennis and Dana Brown of Topeka; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Carolyn Human of Conroe, Texas, and Patsy Ninke of Augusta.

He was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Diana Faye, in 1954; two brothers, Clyde Brown Jr. and Charles Brown; and two sisters, Elizabeth Stockinger and Alberta Jones.

The graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Mound Valley Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Saturday at Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, Altamont.

Memorials are suggested to the RP Foundation and may be left at or mailed to the funeral home, P.O. Box 325, Altamont, 67330.

Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com.