Laurel Ann Schilling Brown passed into her heavenly home on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019, at her home in Grain Valley, surrounded by her loving family. She had been fighting ALS for 1 ½ years. Memorial services will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 5th at Royer Funeral Home, Grain Valley. The family will receive friends from 1:30 p.m. until service time at the funeral home.
Laurel was born Dec. 6, 1956, in St. Louis, MO, the daughter of Ed and Betty Schilling, into a family of 3 sisters and 3 brothers and 2 nieces and 13 nephews. She was preceded in death by her mother, mother and father-in-law, & 3 brothers-in-law.
She was working at a daycare in Ash Grove, MO where she met Jim Brown from Grain Valley. Jim was from a family of 7 too, so Laurel soon inherited 4 sisters-in-law and 3 brothers-in- law as well as 8 nieces and 12 nephews. Jim and Laurel were married on May 30, 1981, and Jim brought his young wife to Grain Valley to live and raise their family. They were blessed with 3 sons, Christopher, Kyle and Ryan Brown. Christopher married and his wife, Star soon became the daughter Laurel and Jim never had. Chris and Star gave Laurel & Jim a grandson, Jacob and granddaughter, Alisa.
Laurel loved children, so with her degree in Early Childhood Development she accepted a position with the Presbyterian Church in Blue Springs in their daycare program. She started the first “Parents as Teachers Program” in the Grain Valley R-5 School District in 1992. She started “Valley Kids” a before and after school daycare. In May she always did the Kindergarten Screening for the next school year. During the summer months she managed the swimming pool for the City of Grain Valley. She retired from Grain Valley School District in December 2015.
Laurel’s life was a life well lived, we all look forward to joining her in heaven.
Arrangements: Royer Funeral Home, Grain Valley, MO 816-847-4441
The Herberts
19 Aug 2020I am so sorry that we will be unable to attend Laurel’s services. Please know that we continue to have you all in our hearts and on our minds. Praying for peace and for understanding. – Love, The Herberts (Andy, Natasha, Owen, Eli and Isaac) – We have made a donation to The ALS Association in honor of your precious mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother.