PAWNEE — Clarence Vernon "Vernie" Brown, 81, of Pawnee, Illinois, died Monday, Aug. 16, 2021, at his home in Pawnee. Clarence was born May 1, 1940, in Caraway, Arkansas, the son of Clyde V. and Margaret E. Whitted Brown. He married Margaret Diane McCormick May 18, 1959, in Springfield. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Diane, on June 15, 2021; four sisters, Ernestine Counts, Helen Palmer, Elva (June) Hopkins and Patsy King; and four brothers, Vernon, Clyde and Sam Brown and Richard Gardner. Clarence was a founding member of the Pawnee Christian Church and served as an elder for several years. He worked at Fiat-Allis as a welder for 13 years and ADM in Decatur for two years. He was a logger, owning his own logging company for 13 years. Clarence was a professional bass fisherman, winning multiple fishing tournaments. Clarence was known for his International tractor and hauling family and neighborhood kids around on his wagon. Clarence told everybody he was a farm kid. Clarence is survived by two sons, David (wife, Katy) Brown of Waverly and Vernon (wife, Kedra) Brown of Pawnee; two daughters, Sharolyn (husband, Kenyon) Bradley of Pawnee and Julie (husband, Mike) Davis of Elizabethtown; 14 grandchildren, Shannon Casson, Alex Brown, Emily Uhrich, Aubrey Bury, Dan Geisz, Zac Luth, Will Luth, Erin Lane, Rachel Kizziah, Adam Brown, Drew Brown, Keagan Brown, Kylie Brown and Jessie Boughton; 16 great-grandchildren, Henry, Brock and Danielle Casson, Hadley and Hazel Uhrich, Edison Bury, Camilia and Evelyn Geisz, Jarin, Grantlei, Liam and Landon Lane, Lincoln Kizziah, Eli Luth and Warren and Ryan Boughton; two brothers, Tom (wife, Joanne) Brown and Cletus (wife, Pam) Brown, both of Poplar Bluff, Missouri; two sisters, Kathryn Danner of Greenville, Missouri, and Debra McCauley of Shreveport, Louisiana; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. Clarence's family will meet friends at 10 a.m. until the time of the funeral service at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021, at Pawnee Christian Church with Rev. Chris Covey officiating. Burial will follow at Horse Creek Cemetery in Pawnee. Memorial contributions may be made to Pawnee Food Pantry, P.O. Box 304, Pawnee, IL 62558-0304. Curry Funeral Home in Pawnee is serving the family of Clarence Brown. Online condolences may be expressed at www.curryfh.com.