Richard Dale Brown

Richard Dale Brown (“Pop”), a talented, strong, intelligent, funny person, passed away peacefully on February 19, 2026, surrounded by family.

Born October 22, 1937, in Provo, Utah to Dee and Ruth (Nuttall) Brown. He had two brothers - Dee (Renee), and Mike (both preceded him in death), and sister Diana (Julian).

His incredible strength, determination and brilliance allowed him to emerge triumphantly from a very difficult childhood as a highly accomplished, successful adult.

He discovered a natural talent and love of art in his youth that inspired him to pursue it to the fullest. He received Bachelor’s of Arts and Master’s of Fine Arts degrees from BYU. His career launched with the first steps of working at BYU Seminaries & Institutes and teaching an art class in Paris.

He began working as an illustrator and artist at The Friend Magazine in 1969, getting promoted to art director until his retirement in 2000.

He also illustrated for The Ensign and The New Era.

One of the highlights of his artistic career was being hired by the Salt Lake City 2002 Olympic Committee to paint the official Olympic Map and to create Otto the Otter, the official Paralympic mascot.

He painted numerous masterpieces of art and won several awards at the Utah State Fair, Springville Art Show, Dixie Art Show, Eccles Art Center in Ogden and many more.

He was awarded The Deseret News Artist of the Year.

While working at a cannery in Spanish Fork, he met June Nybo. They married in June 1960 in the Salt Lake Temple. They were blessed with five of the best kids in the world - four girls and one boy.

He served his state and country as a National Guardsman (basic training in Missouri) and was honorably dismissed after his service.

He loved fly fishing (and tied about a million of his own flies), was in the Great Western Fly Fishing Club and taught classes that instructed others how to tie awesome flies.

He was regularly trying out his latest flies at places like Strawberry Reservoir and multiple lakes & streams throughout Utah, Montana, Idaho & Wyoming.

He also loved golfing, watching classic movies (he probably saw all of them) and traveling - which he was able to do all over the world including Europe, Asia, Africa, South America (even cruising past Antarctica), Australia, the Pacific Islands, and much of the United States.

He had a fun sense of humor, and a unique knack to creatively use sarcasm and funny phrases.

When he sneezed he always said, “Wachooey Chop Suey!” He made everyone laugh in a number of circumstances and moments.

He taught himself to play the harmonica and frequently accompanied the family singing on many occasions such as caroling on Christmas Eve with neighbors, camping, birthdays and with grandkids.

His artistic skills extended into landscaping, hence, the whole yard surrounding his home was a picturesque scene of vegetation and beauty.

He was deadly in a game of HORSE with the basketball hoop in the driveway against his only son.

He could literally fall asleep anywhere, anytime, sometimes in funny or unusual situations that made us chuckle, but thankfully never while driving.

He loved his family and supported his kids and grandkids by attending sports events, dance recitals, various activities and spending quality time with them.

He was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the very end.

He is survived by his wife June, his daughter Lisa Flint (Tage), Lauri Storey (Dean), his son Mark Brown (Lisa), daughter Amy Koford (Adam), and Debbi Anderson (Erik), eight grandsons, eight granddaughters, plus fourteen great-grandchildren.

Our most sincere thanks go to Bristol Hospice, Shadd, Brock & all the amazing CNAs, for their incredibly skilled and kind care of dad the past year and a half. Thank you! We love you!