March 25, 1940 Feb. 7, 2013
Francis J. Brown Sr., 72, Portage Township, died Thursday. He was born in Portage, son of George and Alice Brown. Surviving are his wife, Donna; children: Roxanne Shaffer, Francis, Roger, Brenda Rietscha and Cheryl Ann Birk; 12 grandchildren; and siblings: Jane, Donald, William, Mary, Patricia, Kathleen, JoAnn, Robert and David. He was preceded in death by three brothers. Friends will be received from 6 to 8 p.m. today and from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Matthew R. Decort Funeral Home, Portage. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013, at St. Joseph Catholic Church.


