Harold W. Brown

Harold William Brown, 91, of McGregor, Iowa, passed away peacefully on April 12, 2025. Born December 1933, on his family’s farm in rural Collins, Iowa, Harold was the youngest of six children. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. Harold enjoyed beating most at cards, was a gentleman farmer, devoted family man, and loved spending time with family. He will be remembered as a caring man with a warm heart and desire to support others during times of need.

Harold graduated from Maxwell High School and earned a business degree from Drake University in 1956. That same year, on December 23, he married his beloved wife, Karen, beginning a 68-year partnership filled with love. Drafted into the Navy, Harold attended Officer Candidate School, served aboard the USS Misspillion and later at the Naval Reserve Training Center. Promoted to Lieutenant Commander, he left active duty in 1963, but continued in the Naval Reserve for 16 years, retiring as a Commander.

Harold’s professional legacy began in healthcare management in Waterloo, Iowa, with Midwest Management. In 1973, he became CEO of Memorial Hospital in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, then in financial distress. Under his leadership, the hospital not only recovered but earned national acclaim as one of the best-run rural hospitals in the country. Over 35 years (1973–2008), Harold launched vital community programs, including meals for the elderly, assisted living, home health and hospice services, and secured funding for a retirement and skilled nursing facility—care systems that supported him in his final days. As Chair of the National Rural Health Association, he advocated tirelessly for rural healthcare, helping pass federal legislation for Critical Access Hospital designation, a lifeline for communities nationwide. In 2004, the Association honored him with its first Lifetime Achievement Award. His leadership graced the cover of Modern Healthcare, and his achievements were read into the Congressional Record by Representative Ron Kind. Harold loved his work caring for the community and had deep admiration for all those that worked alongside him at Prairie du Chien Memorial Hospital. 

Harold is survived by his wife, Karen; four children and their spouses, Tammy and Brian Herman (Carlsbad, CA), Jennifer and Walt Gillespie (Poway, CA), Brice and Debbie Brown (Oconomowoc, WI), and Kevin and Elizabeth Brown (Atlanta, GA); twelve grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. 

A celebration of life will be held in early July with details forthcoming. In lieu of gifts or flowers, the family requests donations to the Crossing Rivers Health Foundation in support of the hospice program in Prairie du Chien. The family extends heartfelt thanks to Prairie Maison and Crossings Rivers hospice staff for their compassionate care.

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