Orvis Franklin Brown

Orvis Franklin Brown, 91, of Overland Park, KS, passed away on May 24, 2026. He was born on August 24, 1934, in Dexter, Kentucky, to Benjamin and Eulain (Cleaver) Brown. The family later relocated to East St. Louis, Illinois, where Orvis was raised. He earned a degree in Petroleum Engineering from the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy in Rolla, Missouri, in 1958.

During visits home while attending college, Orvis met a beautiful young lady named Nita McCasland. They would eventually marry on October 3, 1959, at the State Street Church of Christ in East St. Louis; a union that would endure for 65 years. Orvis’ job took them first to Topeka, Kansas, where their daughter Susan was born in 1964, and then to Prairie Village, Kansas, where their twin sons Timothy and Stephen were born in 1970.

Orvis was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather; a steady and loving presence we were lucky to have. He was a faithful member of the Overland Park Church of Christ and found great joy in the water with a fishing line in hand. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered.

Orvis enjoyed a distinguished career in the petroleum and chemical industries spanning more than four decades. Orvis was employed by Skelly Oil, J.F. Pritchard, Chemagro, Mobay Chemical Corporation, and Bayer Corporation, retiring in 1999. Known among colleagues and family alike for his keen analytical mind, he approached every challenge with methodical precision and an inventive spirit.

Orvis is survived by his sons, Timothy Brown (Amy) and Stephen Brown (Jennifer); four grandchildren, Carly, Riley, Zachary, and Hannah; and his sister, Patricia Hammitt of Nixa, Missouri. He was preceded in death by his wife, Nita Brown; his daughter, Susan Brown; and his parents, Benjamin and Eulain Brown.

A private family service will be held to honor his life. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Susan Ellen Brown Memorial Scholarship at Murray State University.