M. Brown

Silvis, Illinois
Gale M. Brown, 88, of Silvis, Illinois, formerly of Moline, Illinois, died Sunday, November 15, 2009, at Heartland Health Care Center, Moline.
Services are 11 a.m. Wednesday in the Celebration of Life Chapel at Trimble Funeral and Cremation Center, Moline, with The Reverend Allen Mothershed officiating. Burial is in Riverside Cemetery, Moline. Visitation is 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to First Congregational Church, Moline.
Gale Matthew Brown was born May 22, 1921, in Hamilton, Ohio, the son of Albert and Ruth Fraser Brown. He graduated from Joliet, Illinois, High School and the University of Illinois. He married Joan ?Jody? Kingsland on March 5, 1943, in Moline. She died September 23, 1996. He married Ruth Chester Bergstrom on March 14, 1998.
Gale was a sergeant in the U. S. Army Air Corps during WW II. He earned six battle stars and four overseas service stars flying 150 missions in air offensive operations over Europe. He was employed by Deere and Company in various engineering management positions for 25 years. He resigned in 1969 to start his own company, Gale M. Brown Machine Tool Company, which he operated until he retired in 1999.
Gale was an active member of First Congregational Church, Moline, for over 50 years, was president of 7 Oaks Homeowners Association for many years, and was a member of the Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Gale is survived by his wife, Ruth; a son and daughter-in-law, John "Jack" and Sheila Brown of Rock Island; a step-son, Dennis Bergstrom of Tulsa, Oklahoma; five grandchildren, Caroline Smith of Moline, Sharon Widick and her husband Ron of Rock Island, Sarah Slininger of Rock Island, Heather Brown of Oakley, Michigan, and Thad Bergstrom of Tulsa; and seven great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a step-son, David Bergstrom, and a great-grandson.
Gale?s family invites friends to share a story about him, or light a candle in his memory at www.TrimbleFuneralHomes.com.