Jean (Orton) Orwig-Brown

“When we all get to Heaven,

      What a day of rejoicing that will be.

When we all see Jesus,

      We’ll sing and shout the victory.”

Today, Wilma Jean Orwig-Brown of Fayette, Missouri, is singing and shouting, because she has now seen Jesus face-to-face.

Whether you knew Jean well or not, she would’ve considered you a dear friend. She truly never knew a stranger, and her generosity, her approachableness, and her sweet (though sometimes feisty!) spirit made her friends wherever she went. Smiling and singing were her two favorite things—especially singing praises to Jesus Christ and telling others of the wonderful things her Savior had done for her. In her youth, Jesus convicted Jean of her sins, accepted her repentance, and saved her soul. Then, after giving her a full life of touching others’ lives and bringing glory to His name, He called her home on July 27, 2020. We miss her, but we know she’s happier than she’s ever been, and we look forward to seeing her again one day. 

Jean was born in Lomax, Illinois on June 30, 1935 to the late Leo Palmer and Velna Sparrow Orton. She married Raymond Lewis Orwig, Sr, on August 3, 1952 in Canton, Missouri. He preceded her in death on June 3, 1991. Jean later married Harold Lawrence Brown (known to all as “Sonny”) on February 24, 2002 in Los Angeles, California. Sonny survives her.

Jean and her late husband, Raymond, were the founders of R & J, Inc and Midcontinent Livestock Supplements (MLS), Inc—a cattle nutrition program that serves much of the Midwest, with manufacturing plants in Missouri, North Dakota, and Texas. 

Jean was a member of Sharon Bible Church of Armstrong, Missouri, as well as the Armstrong Ladies’ Club and the Boonslick Art League. She also loved to travel with Sonny later in life, often splitting her summers and winters between California and Missouri, and going on several cruises to Hawaii.

In addition to her husband, Sonny, Jean is survived by her daughter Jeannie Louise Walley (Chris) of Hallsville, Missouri, and her sons Raymond Lewis Orwig, Jr (Debbie) of Canton, Missouri, Paul David Orwig (Rochelle) of Valley Mills, Texas, Steven Mark Orwig of Ellendale, North Dakota, and Joseph Roy Orwig (Pam) of Moberly, Missouri, as well as 15 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great-grandchildren—all of whom knew her as “Grandma Jean”, along with so many others that she befriended in her life.

Through her marriage to Sonny, she is also survived by his children Tim Brown (Leti) of Alhambra, California, David Brown (Tammy) of North Charleston, South Carolina, Kevin Brown (Sheri) of North Charleston, South Carolina, Julie Hunt (Rob) of Gilbert, Arizona, as well as 6 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.

A public visitation will be held Monday, August 17 from 3:00 to 4:00 pm at Carr-Yager Funeral Home in Fayette.  A private family funeral honoring her life will follow at 4:00 pm at the funeral home.  Social distancing will be required and wearing of face masks is encouraged.  A graveside service will be held Tuesday, August 18 at 1:00 pm at Marietta Cemetery in Marietta, Illinois.

Jean's funeral service will be video recorded and placed on the funeral home's website www.carryager.com following the service for those unable to attend.

Memorial contributions are suggested to Sharon Bible Church.

Condolences may be shared at www.carryager.com.

“Let us then be true and faithful,

      Trusting, serving every day.

Just one glimpse of Him in glory,

      Will the toils of life repay.”

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