Jim Brown and Helen Stoecker met in Mr. Herrick’s American Government class at Mason City Junior College in 1938. After graduating the following year, Jim continued his education at the University of Iowa, and logged many miles traveling between Iowa City and Mason City, where Helen remained to complete her education in teacher’s training. Helen was one of four individuals in her class named “outstanding student” both years. She graduated from MCJC in 1940 and began teaching in the Mason City area while Jim attended law school.
In the meantime, the U.S. entered World War II. Jim passed the bar exam and graduated early to fight the war as a B-17 bomber pilot with the Army Air Corp, now the United States Air Force. Jim and Helen were married in 1943, and Helen followed Jim from base to base, finding lodging and work on her own in each location.
In June of 1944, Jim was awarded his air wings and he and his crew were assigned to the 858th Bomb Squadron where they flew single aircraft night special operations missions over Western Europe. On the crew’s 13th mission, they encountered a German night fighter over Rotterdam, Holland. In the exchange of gun fire that followed, both airplanes were severely damaged and both crews were forced to bail out. Jim’s parachute landed in a small Dutch town where he was eventually taken into the protection of the Dutch resistance until he was captured and imprisoned by the Germans. Two months after learning that Jim was missing in action, Helen gave birth to their first child, James H. Brown.
Following the war, Jim returned to Mason City where he began a solo law practice. He was elected Cerro Gordo County attorney, an office he held for three terms. He also was elected to the Mason City Council and served as the City Attorney for Mason City. Jim and two law school classmates and friends, Bob Kinsey and Howard Dresser, formed the law firm of Brown, Kinsey & Dresser. Jim practiced law in Mason City for 53 years and the law firm continues today as Brown, Kinsey, Funkhouser & Lander, P.L.C.
Jim and Helen have always been active volunteers in the Mason City community. Helen was active in the First Congregational Church, serving in many offices and on various boards. She also volunteered for the North Iowa Medical Center, North Iowa Band Festival, and MacNider Art Museum and was a substitute teacher for Mason City Community Schools.
Jim was active in Lions Club and his Church. He was a long time member of the Board of Directors of the North Iowa Medical Center and Kinney Pioneer Museum. He has been an active member of the YMCA, where he twice was named the Volunteer of the Year and received the Willis Patton Award. He has also received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Mason City High School.
The Browns, who still reside in Mason City, are faithful members of the NIACC Alumni Association.
Jim and Helen raised four children. Their oldest son, Jim, passed away in 1991, their daughter Sue lives in Florida, their son Marc lives in Arizona, and their son Scott is carrying on the family name in the Brown, Kinsey, Funkhouser and Lander law firm here in Mason City.
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