Funeral services are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, September 22nd, at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell with Rev. Dondrea Walker, pastor of First Baptist Church of Marion, officiating. Burial will be in Strand Lutheran Cemetery in Dunbar.

Visitation will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday, at the Smith Funeral Home and with the Brown family present from 6:00 to 8:00 Monday evening.

Memorials may be designated to the Kristine L. Brown Memorial Fund, mailed in care of the Smith Funeral Home, PO Box 368, Grinnell, Iowa, 50112.

Kristine was born of June 3, 1964, in Marshalltown, the daughter of Maurice Donald and Ruth Ann Heckle Tufte. She was raised in the Gilman area and was a 1982 graduate of SEMCO High School. She advanced her education in nursing while attending Marshalltown Community College, where she earned her CNA, CMA, and later LPN.

On April 11, 2001, she was united in marriage to Cedric Brown, in Marshalltown. The couple made their home in Marshalltown and while there, she was employed with Grandview Heights Nursing Home and later at Oakview Nursing Home in Conrad. The couple were later divorced. Kristine moved to Grinnell in 2010; she was employed at Grinnell Regional Medical Center, Casey’s General Store in Grinnell and most recently at the Mayflower Community. Her compassionate care was very evident while caring for the elderly. She enjoyed attending the Dunbar Lutheran Church and Grinnell First Baptist Church.

Kristine held a big love for her family; she was very compassionate, kind, and friendly to others. She had a loving heart! Cooking and baking were her passions, she loved to bake apple pies and her chili was recognized at several cooking contests. She loved the outdoors and flowers, especially camping and fishing and lavender flowers and sunflowers. Singing was always a part of her life and she loved celebrating the holiday’s and birthday parties.

She is survived by her four children: Mariah (Shokai) Tufte Shokai, of Lincoln, Nebraska, Bailey (Lee Myles) Tufte, of Lincoln, Mary Smith, of Ankeny, and Meral Rose Brown, of Grinnell; three siblings: Sue Tufte, of Marshalltown, Mark (Diane) Tufte, of Ames, and Matt Tufte, of Grinnell; and seven grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her fiance, Jeff Flowers in 2017.