Thomas Jens Brown, 85, passed away on Wednesday, October 29, 2025 in Sioux Falls, SD.

Visitation will be 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Thursday, November 6th, 2025 at Miller Funeral Home, South Side location, 7400 S. Minnesota Ave., Sioux Falls, SD. A Celebration of Life will begin at 1:00 pm on Friday, November 7, 2025 at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 5500 E. 57th St., Sioux Falls, SD.

Tom Brown was born June 23, 1940, to Wilbur (Swede) and Edna Brown and spent his early years in Wessington Springs, SD.

His family moved to Sioux Falls when he was in the fourth grade.  The adjustment to a big city and big school was made easier by his Longfellow Elementary classmates who became his lifelong friends.  Tom attended Washington High School where he played football and basketball.  He played in the first football game in what was then the new Howard Wood Field.

In 1964, Tom graduated from SDSU, and he and Bonnie Wilson married on August first of that year.  (They met at a WHS dance—they danced their way through high school, college and 61 years of marriage!)

They both started teaching in the Sioux Falls Public Schools' Physical Education Department.  Tom enjoyed a long and meaningful career teaching, coaching, and mentoring Patrick Henry Junior High students—and yes, he did teach them how to dance.  He was honored by the SFSD for 34 years of teaching and for 43 years as a volunteer at the Howard Wood Dakota Relays.

After he retired from teaching, Tom began working for Beal Distributing.  He was on the Anheuser-Busch National Wholesaler Advisory Panel for Consumer Awareness & Education.  He was instrumental in bringing alcohol awareness and education programs to area schools and colleges.  He retired at the age of 78.

Tom and Bonnie's children and grandchildren meant the world to him.  He was Dad to Terri (Rick Jensen) and Tommy (Heather McDougall) Brown and Grandpa to his grandchildren; Tommy (Jessica) Jensen, Katie Jensen, Jake, Ellie, and Nick Brown.  He was a blessing to his family, supporting them through many adventures, challenges, and joyful times.

Besides teaching, Tom's happiest times were found making memories with friends and family while fishing, hunting pheasants and waterfowl, training his hunting dogs, walking the fields, and watching the sunsets with his family while sitting on the porch of the family retreat farmhouse by Fedora, SD.  It was in this family's happy place where he listened to the pheasants, walked the dogs, enjoyed the sunsets, played with his grandchildren, gave them tractor rides, and took them to the pancake feeds at the Fedora Fire Station.

Tom will be remembered for his easy smile, quick wit, steady patience, and the kindness he extended to everyone he met.  He and Bonnie spent almost every weekend enjoying local athletic events (especially those of Lincoln and Augustana).

Tom is survived by his wife Bonnie, his children and grandchildren, his brother Bill (Bonnie), his brother-in-law Bob (Mary) Wilson, his nephews Chad Brown, Jeff and Todd Larson, and Rob and Steve Wilson.  He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Marlene, her husband Dave Larson, and his niece Jill Brown.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Pheasants Forever (pheasantsforever.org) or the Hungry Hearts Sioux Falls School Lunch Fund.  (Venmo @HungryHeartsSF)