Bette Ann (Klauer) Brown

Bette A. Brown, 72, of Dubuque, died at 5:45 pm on Saturday, Nov 18, 2023 at home surrounded by the love of her family after a courageous battle with cancer.

Services will be at 10:30 am Wednesday at Leonard Funeral Home with Rev. Dianne Christopher officiating.  Burial will be at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Key West, Iowa.  Friends may call from 4 to 7 pm Tuesday at Leonard Funeral Home, 2595 Rockdale Road.

Bette was born on January 1, 1951, daughter of Melvin and Margaret ‘Muxie’ (Welu) Klauer of Asbury, IA. She was the first baby born of the new year.

She married Edward “Eddie” Brown on February 11, 1977 at Sacred Heart Church in Dubuque, IA. Together they built a life they loved in their home on Rush Street. Bette graduated from Dubuque Senior High School and the Beauty Academy.  She worked as a Beautician at The Beauty Barn, Highland Park, The Looking Glass, and Heritage Manor. The residents at Heritage loved spending time with Bette in the Beauty Shop, and she gave her all to ensure everyone felt special and had their hair done for the holidays and important events. Bette opened her own salon, ‘The Hair Shaft’ and during her career as a hairdresser, she met several lifelong friends including one of her best friends, Cindy.

After finishing her career as a hairdresser, she worked at American Trust Savings Bank in the mailroom.  She spent 25 years there meeting wonderful people and making more lifelong friends.  She also was a mentor with Dubuque Community Schools, volunteered at Hoover and Sageville Elementary, and helped serve ‘Food for the Soul’ at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church with her friends.

Bette had a heart of gold and made friends everywhere she went.  She could often be found cheering on Eddie at the stock car races, playing bingo with her mom ‘Muxie’ and going to the casino with her best of friends, Nancy and Tammy, as well as having dinners and spending time with the ‘girls from the bank.’  She was an avid Chicago Bears fan, and she loved having yearly Fantasy Football teams with her grandson, Nolan.  She enjoyed having her daily mornings with Jesus prayers. She was the very best mom and grandma anyone could ask for.  Her grandchildren were her pride and joy and the center of her world. Her favorite parts of retirement were dropping them off and picking them up from school and spending every moment she could with them.

Surviving are her daughter Tracy (Patrick) Patrum; her grandchildren Alea, Lilie, Nolan, Ella, Mara and Garison; her cousins and honorary sisters, Nancy Welu and Sue (Neil) Spoden; sister-in- law, Lavon Klauer, brother-in-law, Dwight Henson; dear friend, Cindy Kautman; many loving cousins including the Welu’s and the Hocking’s; nieces; nephews, lifelong friends including Shirley Krenzke, Tammy Duehr, Steve Sanders, Mary Hoskins, and all ‘the girls from the bank;’ a brother, Ken Klauer, and a sister, Kay Brimeyer.

She was proceeded in death by her husband, Eddie Brown; her brother, Mel Klauer, her brother in-law, John Brown, and sisters-in-law, Joyce Henson and Marian Pfab.

The family wishes to thank Dr. Mark Hermann, Tony Heiar and the wonderful nurses at the Wendt Cancer Center especially Sarah and Misty, Kim and Amber from Hospice of Dubuque who became family the moment they walked in the door, as well as Nancy, Sue, LaVon, Jody, Cindy, Mary, Tammy, and ‘the girls from the bank’ for their love, support and friendship to Bette.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.