Chester (Chet) Lawrence Brown
Chet was born on January 15, 1916 in Luna, New Mexico. He died on November 1, 1988 in Payson, Arizona. Chet Married Ruby Joyce Foster on October 3, 1936 in Virden, New Mexico; they were married for 49 wonderful years. Ruby was born on March 10, 1916 in Virden, New Mexico, and died on November 12, 1985 in Payson Arizona. Chet and Ruby had 3 children in Virden, New Mexico: Chester Lawrence Brown Jr. (called Larry), Norman, and Linda.
Chet was born in a Log Cabin in Luna, New Mexico just four years after New Mexico became the 47th state on January 6, 1912 and Arizona became the 48th State on February 12, 1912; he was born of English and Irish descent and his family’s religion was Mormon. Chet has many treasured memories of the days that he spent in Luna as a child.
Chet recalls a day, when he was about 8 years old, that he and his older brother, Pratt, had gone with their father, Lon, to cut wood. They were in a wagon pulled by horses. Chet can remember the fun those trips were but on this particular day the trip did not end on a happy note as his father slipped and broke his hip. Chet’s father had been cutting a tree limb with one foot on the limb and the other one on the wagon wheel. When his father fell, one leg was caught on the wagon wheel and the bone snapped at the hip joint. Chet’s father was crippled from that day on and had to walk with a cane.
In 1924, shortly after Lon broke his hip and when Chet was 8 years old his parents moved from Luna to Virden, New Mexico. They traveled by horses and wagons and the trip took 2 weeks. Chet and his brothers and sisters played alongside the wagons on the journey.
Chet had a happy childhood in Virden. He loved his father’s occupation of farming and ranching. He loved farming and the freedom it gave his family as they did not have to depend on anyone else for a living. He loved going on round-ups with his father and all the camping and stuff. Chet loved to go to dances, parties and picnics. He started dancing in grade school and dancing remained his favorite past time throughout his life. He also played the saxophone in high school.
Chet remembers his parents as being loving, considerate people. They belonged to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and they tried to raise their children in the beliefs of the church and to instill the importance of honesty in all their children.
Chet attended school in Virden where he met Ruby Foster when they were both in the 2nd grade. They became sweethearts in the 3rd grade and were in-separable for the rest of their lives. Chet recalled that when he was a boy he rode his horse five miles to school every day until they got a school bus, which was a covered wagon.
Ruby Joyce Foster was born on March 10, 1916 in Virden, New Mexico to the parents of Josephine and Jim Foster. Josephine (Jo) Pace was born on March 18, 1895 in Thatcher, Arizona to James Orlando and Nancy Orpha Boggs Pace. Jo’s family moved to Virden in November 1905. Jim and Jo Foster had six children: Pace, Ruby, Wayne, Wanda, Nancy, and Bill. Ruby’s religion was Church of Christ.
Chet and Ruby were married on October 3, 1936 in Virden, New Mexico where they began their lives together on a farm. Those were some of the happiest days of their lives as Chet and Ruby were doing what they loved most in life – raising cattle and farming. Chet and Ruby loved to dance and were admired by all for the way they danced together. Their lives were complete with the birth of their three children: Larry, Norman and Linda.
Chet and Ruby left the farm and moved to Wilmington, California, in 1944 where they both worked in the shipyards building transport ships during World War II (WWII). Chet worked as a plumber in the shipyards. The 1940s were pretty well defined by WW II, and the U.S. isolation was shattered by the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The attack left the U.S. Navy with only a handful of aircraft carriers. Yet just three years later, the United States had a few dozen aircraft carriers fully armed with new planes, pilots, and escort ships, backed by new logistics systems, new training systems, aircraft facilities, and shipyards full of women and men workers. That’s not counting the rapid mobilization of a huge armed force deployed in both Asia and Europe, and such game-changing innovationsas the B-29 and the atomic bomb. Looking back at history, the big question is: Have we as a nation worked at anything approaching that tempo in the present era? I believe the answer is no! Chet and Ruby were part of this national response to defeat an enemy that was soon sorry that he attacked America.
After the war, Chet moved his family to Visalia, California, where he spent several years managing a large farm. This was a happy time for his family and Chet recalled how much the children loved that farm and played from dawn to dusk.
In 1949, the family moved to Tucson, Arizona, where Chet again worked as a plumber. They left Tucson in 1951 and moved to Morenci, Arizona, where Chet worked as a Churn Drill Foreman in the copper mine. During the mid-1950s, the feeling of chance and hope was prevalent. The U.S. had survived the Great Depression, WW II, and the Korean War. Even though the Soviet Union was a worry, things were looking up and everyday life was simple, at least compared to today. People worked, cared for their family, looked out for their neighbors, and respected their country. At least most of the working class people lived like this. Chet and Ruby were a hard working middle class family and fit into this background perfectly. Life was hard but they were working towards a better life for themselves and their children.
Chet and Ruby made Morenci their home until their children graduated from high school and left home.
It was then, in 1962, that Chet and Ruby moved to Payson, Arizona, to settle down for good. Chet’s 26 years in Payson were some of the happiest and most rewarding years of his life. He built a lovely cabin in Payson and established himself as one of Payson’s finest locksmiths. Chet spent many joyful years with Ruby, his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in Payson.
Reflecting on his life, Chet said that overall he had accomplished most everything he set out to do. He felt that his biggest accomplishment was his three children and said that they were all ambitious and had accomplished a great deal in their lives. It was his children, Chet said, that brought the most happiness to his life, through their love and being able to be around them and their families often.
When asked to describe himself, Chet said that he had dark brown hair and green eyes and he felt like he resembled his dad more than his mother.
Chet’s world was saddened with the passing of his beloved wife on November 12, 1985. Chet lived three more years in Payson before he died on November 1, 1988. Chet and Ruby are both buried in Payson, Arizona.
Chet was truly a special person, loved dearly by all of his family and friends; but no one loved him more or was more proud of him than his three children – Larry, Norman, and Linda.
Chet was born in a Log Cabin in Luna, New Mexico just four years after New Mexico became the 47th state on January 6, 1912 and Arizona became the 48th State on February 12, 1912; he was born of English and Irish descent and his family’s religion was Mormon. Chet has many treasured memories of the days that he spent in Luna as a child.
Chet recalls a day, when he was about 8 years old, that he and his older brother, Pratt, had gone with their father, Lon, to cut wood. They were in a wagon pulled by horses. Chet can remember the fun those trips were but on this particular day the trip did not end on a happy note as his father slipped and broke his hip. Chet’s father had been cutting a tree limb with one foot on the limb and the other one on the wagon wheel. When his father fell, one leg was caught on the wagon wheel and the bone snapped at the hip joint. Chet’s father was crippled from that day on and had to walk with a cane.
In 1924, shortly after Lon broke his hip and when Chet was 8 years old his parents moved from Luna to Virden, New Mexico. They traveled by horses and wagons and the trip took 2 weeks. Chet and his brothers and sisters played alongside the wagons on the journey.
Chet had a happy childhood in Virden. He loved his father’s occupation of farming and ranching. He loved farming and the freedom it gave his family as they did not have to depend on anyone else for a living. He loved going on round-ups with his father and all the camping and stuff. Chet loved to go to dances, parties and picnics. He started dancing in grade school and dancing remained his favorite past time throughout his life. He also played the saxophone in high school.
Chet remembers his parents as being loving, considerate people. They belonged to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and they tried to raise their children in the beliefs of the church and to instill the importance of honesty in all their children.
Chet attended school in Virden where he met Ruby Foster when they were both in the 2nd grade. They became sweethearts in the 3rd grade and were in-separable for the rest of their lives. Chet recalled that when he was a boy he rode his horse five miles to school every day until they got a school bus, which was a covered wagon.
Ruby Joyce Foster was born on March 10, 1916 in Virden, New Mexico to the parents of Josephine and Jim Foster. Josephine (Jo) Pace was born on March 18, 1895 in Thatcher, Arizona to James Orlando and Nancy Orpha Boggs Pace. Jo’s family moved to Virden in November 1905. Jim and Jo Foster had six children: Pace, Ruby, Wayne, Wanda, Nancy, and Bill. Ruby’s religion was Church of Christ.
Chet and Ruby were married on October 3, 1936 in Virden, New Mexico where they began their lives together on a farm. Those were some of the happiest days of their lives as Chet and Ruby were doing what they loved most in life – raising cattle and farming. Chet and Ruby loved to dance and were admired by all for the way they danced together. Their lives were complete with the birth of their three children: Larry, Norman and Linda.
Chet and Ruby left the farm and moved to Wilmington, California, in 1944 where they both worked in the shipyards building transport ships during World War II (WWII). Chet worked as a plumber in the shipyards. The 1940s were pretty well defined by WW II, and the U.S. isolation was shattered by the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The attack left the U.S. Navy with only a handful of aircraft carriers. Yet just three years later, the United States had a few dozen aircraft carriers fully armed with new planes, pilots, and escort ships, backed by new logistics systems, new training systems, aircraft facilities, and shipyards full of women and men workers. That’s not counting the rapid mobilization of a huge armed force deployed in both Asia and Europe, and such game-changing innovationsas the B-29 and the atomic bomb. Looking back at history, the big question is: Have we as a nation worked at anything approaching that tempo in the present era? I believe the answer is no! Chet and Ruby were part of this national response to defeat an enemy that was soon sorry that he attacked America.
After the war, Chet moved his family to Visalia, California, where he spent several years managing a large farm. This was a happy time for his family and Chet recalled how much the children loved that farm and played from dawn to dusk.
In 1949, the family moved to Tucson, Arizona, where Chet again worked as a plumber. They left Tucson in 1951 and moved to Morenci, Arizona, where Chet worked as a Churn Drill Foreman in the copper mine. During the mid-1950s, the feeling of chance and hope was prevalent. The U.S. had survived the Great Depression, WW II, and the Korean War. Even though the Soviet Union was a worry, things were looking up and everyday life was simple, at least compared to today. People worked, cared for their family, looked out for their neighbors, and respected their country. At least most of the working class people lived like this. Chet and Ruby were a hard working middle class family and fit into this background perfectly. Life was hard but they were working towards a better life for themselves and their children.
Chet and Ruby made Morenci their home until their children graduated from high school and left home.
It was then, in 1962, that Chet and Ruby moved to Payson, Arizona, to settle down for good. Chet’s 26 years in Payson were some of the happiest and most rewarding years of his life. He built a lovely cabin in Payson and established himself as one of Payson’s finest locksmiths. Chet spent many joyful years with Ruby, his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in Payson.
Reflecting on his life, Chet said that overall he had accomplished most everything he set out to do. He felt that his biggest accomplishment was his three children and said that they were all ambitious and had accomplished a great deal in their lives. It was his children, Chet said, that brought the most happiness to his life, through their love and being able to be around them and their families often.
When asked to describe himself, Chet said that he had dark brown hair and green eyes and he felt like he resembled his dad more than his mother.
Chet’s world was saddened with the passing of his beloved wife on November 12, 1985. Chet lived three more years in Payson before he died on November 1, 1988. Chet and Ruby are both buried in Payson, Arizona.
Chet was truly a special person, loved dearly by all of his family and friends; but no one loved him more or was more proud of him than his three children – Larry, Norman, and Linda.
Information for Chester (Chet) Lawrence Brown
Parents: Stephen Alonzo Brown & Bertha Teresa Reynolds
Birth: 15 January 1916
Place: Luna, NM
Marriage: 3 October 1936
Place: Virden, NM
Died: 1 November 1988
Place: Payson, AZ
Buried: Payson, AZ
Spouse: Ruby Joyce Foster
Spouse’s Birth: 10 March 1916
Spouse’s Birthplace: Virden, NM
Died: 12 November 1985
Place: Payson, AZ
Buried: Payson, AZ
Spouse’s Parents: James Foster & Josephine Pace
Birth: 15 January 1916
Place: Luna, NM
Marriage: 3 October 1936
Place: Virden, NM
Died: 1 November 1988
Place: Payson, AZ
Buried: Payson, AZ
Spouse: Ruby Joyce Foster
Spouse’s Birth: 10 March 1916
Spouse’s Birthplace: Virden, NM
Died: 12 November 1985
Place: Payson, AZ
Buried: Payson, AZ
Spouse’s Parents: James Foster & Josephine Pace