“Seasons are necisary [sic] to learn and grow and change and become more like God. Seasons are a cycle so they will always come again so if you fail you can always try again.” Buster Brown

In the joy of a well-lived twelve years, we mourn the loss of Buster Brown, who brought to our world so much vibrancy and love. Born on June 15, 2011, and killed in a traffic accident on March 19, 2024, Buster's life was a tapestry of imagination, service, kindness and adventure.

If there was a trick to extending the hours to a day, Buster seemed to know it. He was a constant source of creativity, from crocheted beanies to handmade ceramics, detailed origami and whittled sticks. Buster often worked on projects in tandem with his younger sister Ruby, and the handmade Christmas and birthday gifts from Buster were everybody’s favorites. His efforts turned spare moments into meaningful activity.

Whether it was on the court playing Bump with his dad and brother Warner, catching waves with ease, or popping a wheelie and riding it out as far as he could, Buster’s natural athleticism was always on display. Buster’s enthusiasm for the outdoors paired perfectly with his need to move and muscle through life. Buster’s adventures included snow caving in the winter, mountain biking in summer and fall, year-round hikes and surf trips to the coast, all of which quenched Buster’s thirst for adventure and kept his skin tanned year round. As Buster followed his dad in outdoor exploits, he looked to him in life. Not surprisingly, Buster expressed the desire to be a water resource engineer like his dad.

From the cheerful ukulele to melodies of the violin, music ran in Buster’s veins. But perhaps the greatest blessing of his talent was that it was most often enjoyed with his siblings and parents. Buster contributed to the ensemble of siblinghood, spending countless hours practicing together, performing as a group and striving to reach his sister Olivia’s mastery of the violin. Buster recently wrote, “I think I was meant to play the violin and become a musician, because I really love music and if I play it for other people it (most of the time) brings joy to the people I played it for. So that’s a good way to make joy.”

Buster considered the greenbelt behind his house as his own backyard. Together with Warner and the Hudson boys Nolan and Jude, they roamed the wilderness like modern-day explorers, carving out their own kingdom amidst the trees and ferns. No form of adventure was left unexplored, no inclement weather kept them inside. The woods provided Buster with the kind of boyhood told in storybooks, and the dirty fingernails, skinned knees, and forgotten sweatshirts gave credibility to the tale.

Buster was a mama’s boy. Though he undeniably bore the looks and desire for outdoor thrills of his dad, Buster resembled his mom in spirit and in demeanor: quick to obey and content to please. In all his contributions at home, nothing brought Buster more pleasure than helping with his little sister Nora. He won Nora over with his playfulness and unending patience. He was always willing to put her to bed or share his breakfast of perfectly made cream cheese and jam bagels.

Buster was just finding his voice as a writer. The expressive language of boyhood found in his journal entries will bring fond memories and belly-laughs to his family in times to come. As we’ve thought about the full and vibrant life that Buster lived and wrote about, we know that he would want to ensure that all of those who served him in his family, church, and village understand the gratitude he felt for them. Buster’s village was expansive. He was grateful for the mentoring he received from his violin, homeschool co-op, and H.O.M.E. program teachers. He was thankful for his coaches, and leaders in primary and church youth programs. He loved and appreciated his grandmothers and grandfathers, his aunties and uncles both related and adopted, his cousins, and friends.

Buster loved his FLITE community and teachers. In one of his favorite classes he was asked the question: What do you think your life mission is? Buster’s response was, “I think that I was put on the earth to learn, grow, serve, and become more like Heavenly Father and Jesus.” Buster’s faith was strong and he lived that mission daily in beautiful ways. In the last year, Buster voiced a desire to see his Savior Jesus Christ. As sincerely as he lived his life, we have no doubt that as he moves into the next realm, he is welcomed into the arms of a loving Savior. In the grief of this loss, his family takes inexpressible comfort in the Gospel in which Buster fervently believed, in a loving Savior, and in the knowledge that in the coming days, their family will be together again.

Buster is survived by his parents, Jaron and Jessica (Hoopes) Brown, his siblings Olivia, Warner, Ruby and Nora Brown, his grandparents Duaine and Debbie Brown, and David and Kathryn Paxman. He was preceded in death by his two grandfathers, John Carl Brown and Richard Divers Hoopes. Buster’s memory will be cherished by his many aunts, uncles and cousins on both sides of his family.