Robert Morris Brown, born November 16, 1952, passed away Friday, May 18, 2012, at Tacoma General Hospital. Born in Walla Walla, Wash., to Irwin G. (Buster) and Dorothy A. Brown. Robert graduated from Walla Walla High School in 1971 and took employment with Terminal Ice and Cold Storage, Walla Walla, as a dockhand at the age of 18. He transferred within the company to Clearfield, Utah, then to Hermiston, Ore., where he lived and worked for Terminal Ice/Termicold /Americold/Americold Logistics for the next 30 years as a refrigeration engineer. He then transferred to Watts Bros Frozen Foods, then Morrow Cold Storage before moving to Puyallup, Wash., in 2010, where he worked at Versacold Corp., now Americold. He had a total of 41 years in the industry.

Robert was certified in many continuing education aspects pertaining to the refrigeration industry and he loved to learn. He loved being challenged with a problem and would work countless hours to solve it. He enjoyed reading, woodworking, grandchildren, and most recently riding his motorcycle with the South Sound Motorcycle Club.

Robert is survived by his daughter, Sarah Prout and husband Michael, of College Place, Wash., son Ryan Brown and son Tyler Brown both of Hermiston, Ore., stepson Jason Brown and wife Shawn, Portsmouth, Va., stepdaughter Jeannie Gustafson and husband Cyle, Battle Ground, Wash., former wife Donna M. Brown of Hermiston 1986-2010, and former wife Janis Beechinor-Craig of Walla Walla, Wash., 1980-1986, and three grandchildren, Madilyn and Isla Prout of College Place and Ethan Brown of Portsmouth, Va., mother Dorothy A. Brown, brother Gary Brown, sisters Linda Paradise and Sharon Dodgin, all of Walla Walla, and brother Jeffery Brown of San Diego, Calif.

Robert was preceded in death by his father I.G. (Buster) Brown, grandparents Walter and Lula Bell Pope, grandparents Homer and Carlotta Brown, brother David, and sister Debbie.

Funeral services will be held Friday, June 1 at 2 p.m. at First Congregational Church, Walla Walla, Wash.