Holly "Buss" Ray Brown

Holly Ray "Buss" Brown, age 60, of Union, died February 9, 2013 at a local care facility. A funeral will be held on Friday, February 15, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. at the Union LDS Church. Interment will follow at the Union Cemetery. Those who wish may make contributions in his memory to the Oregon Cancer Society in care of Daniels~Knopp Funeral, Cremation & Life Celebration Center, 1502 7th Street in La Grande.

Buss was born on July 24, 1952, the son of Hollis Carl and Charline Eleanor (Crofts) Brown in Torrington, Wyoming. He attended school there until the third grade when the family moved to Union. He was a good student and he and his brother Butch participated in rodeo events until he was sixteen and was involved in a life changing auto accident. After months in the hospital he overcame many obstacles and learned how to walk and talk again. He was paralyzed on one side but his determination amazed all who knew him. He finished high school and went on to Business College and became an accountant. He worked for the M&W Market until it closed and then he went to work for the Baker City office of the Forest Service, which he drove to each day and back from the family ranch at Medical Springs. He worked for them for 20 years when he retired to take care of his ill father. In spite of his disabilities he continued to ride horses and took care of himself and drove 15 minutes one way to church every Sunday from Medical Springs. When he moved into town in 2011 he lived in an apartment with his two dogs. He had many wonderful caregivers and friends who were there for him when he couldn't manage completely on his own.


Survivors include her brother and sister-in-law, Butch and Karen Brown of Union; sister and brother-in-law, Judy and Tom Brown of La Grande; numerous nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Shari Lee Orton.

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