Frederick Leo Brown Sr. was born July 11, 1934, in Newton, the son of Preston Leo and Pauline Ruth Hummel Brown. He received his education in Colfax. From 1952 to 1955, he was enlisted in the Army, where he served as a corporal in Korea with the 24th Infantry, 63rd Field Artillery Battalion. 

On Sept. 23, 1954, he was united in marriage with Betty Arlene Alexander, at the Catholic Community Chapel in Fort Bliss, Texas. He worked at Maytag Corporation in Skilled Trades as well as sheet metal for 31 years. 

Fred was an avid bowler and inducted into the Iowa Bowling Hall of Fame. He was a president of Babe Ruth Baseball where he coached and managed Little League Baseball. In his later years, Fred could be found chasing a golf ball around Colfax Country Club.