Owned and farmed land in the southeast portion of Wells County. Was also a Wells County Commissioner.
Obituary from the Bluffton News-Banner, 3/20/2000:
A Wells County commissioner for more than 20 years, Joy L. Brown, 87, of Nottingham Township, died at 7:15 a.m. today in the emergency room at Caylor-Nickel Medical Center in Bluffton.
Mr. Brown was a lifelong farmer in Wells and Blackford Counties. He was a member of the Farm Bureau and Gideons International.
He served 21 years as a member of the Wells County Board of Commissioners, holding office continually from 1957. Prior to being elected as a commissioner, he served two and one-half years as office manager for the Wells County Agriculture and Stabilization and Conservation Committee. He also was active in the Wells County Democratic Party and was a former member of the Blackford United Methodist Church.
He was a past president of the Highway Extension and research Project for Indiana Counties and a member of its 12-member advisory board. He also held various offices in the North East District of the County Commissioners Association.
In 1974, Mr. Brown was recognized as a recipient of the "Golden Rule" Award for his service by the Association of Indiana Counties.
He was born in Wells County Jan. 23, 1913 to William and Pearl Marker Brown. He was a graduate in 1931 of Petroleum High School. A first marriage was to Pauline Arnold, who died in 1985. His second marriage at Montpelier on Jan. 16, 1988 was to Frances E. Stepp, who survives.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son, Kent Brown of Montpelier; two stepdaughters, Mrs. Everett (Joyce) Lee of Montpelier and Mrs. Paul (Judy) Herring of Keystone; two stepsons, Jerry Hart of Tustin, Texas, and Jeff Hart of Logansport; a brother, Edwin Brown of Montpelier; 10 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren. Four brothers and a half-brother are deceased.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Glancy Funeral Home, Walker Chapel, in Montpelier with Rev. Frank Rodgers officiating. Burial will be in Elm Grove Cemetery at Bluffton.
Calling hours at the funeral home will be Tuesday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m.