Patricia Brown

Patricia Preno Brown (Pat), 83, passed away peacefully on August 7, 2026 in Worland, Wyoming. Patricia was born in Corpus Christi, TX to William Leroy and Gladys (Erickson) Preno on August 9, 1942. Much to their surprise twins arrived. Having only a girl name and a boy name selected, the first identical twin delivered received the girl’s first name and the 2nd twin received the middle name. Neither received a middle name. The family has joked for years that Pat shoved her slightly older twin sister Judy, out to get into the world.

Pat grew up in Texas, Florida and Illinois as her father was a naval airman in training for WWII during her early years. She attended school in Normal, IL and graduated with honors in 1960. She studied Home Economics at Illinois Normal University, graduating in 3 yrs and 3 summers. She moved to the Big Horn Basin in August of 1963, taking a Home Economics position at Greybull High School in Greybull, Wyoming. Early in this position she met her husband of 61 years, James L. Brown. They were married on October 2, 1964. Her only son, Alan of Worland, Wy, was born in June of 1965. She transitioned to teaching Home Economics at Basin High School in Basin, Wyoming soon after.

She was extremely independent while passionately devoted to her husband and family. She learned to shoot at an early age as her father was a wildlife biologist. In Wyoming, she frequently helped feed the family as she and Jim hunted deer annually. In addition, she helped add a shooting sports curriculum at Basin High School to help youth understand and practice safe firearms handling while getting their Hunter’s Education card. Pat fell in love with wide open spaces of Wyoming quickly and often wished that she had grown up in the Big Horn Basin.

Her teaching and coaching career was long and full of accomplishments. She transitioned to teaching PE in the early 70s and thrived in that role. She was a fierce proponent of women’s sports, women’s independence and the underdog in any situation. She developed and spearheaded numerous unique PE experiences in Big Horn School district #4. These included shooting sports in coordination with the state of Wyoming DCM, outdoor survival courses which included high and low element ropes courses. The ropes courses eventually lead to an outdoor climbing wall on the east side of Manderson Middle School. In her mid-30s she decided that being afraid of heights was a silly thing to be afraid of, so she started learning to rock climb. While she was never a lead climber or a swift climber, she loved the sport and often did routes with her son Alan. She summited Devils Tower twice and on her 50th birthday she summited the Grand Teton near Jackson, Wy.

Her coaching career was as diverse as her teaching career. She coached high school gymnastics at Basin as well as track and field. Her focus in track was jumps, throws and hurdles. Given the highly variable weather conditions during Wyoming track season, she was easy to locate at a track meet as she often wore a traditional western sun bonnet while making the rounds encouraging her athletes. This attire often embarrassed her athletes (and her son), but she persisted. She was an adamant proponent of functional clothing, and never a slave to fashion. Being a Home Economics teacher by education she often made clothing and outdoor gear for herself and her family. She enjoyed quilting later in life. In 1987 she was inducted into the Wyoming Coaches Association Hall of Fame and she received a 40 yr coaching award in 2007.

After taking early retirement in the mid-90s she continued to coach track and field until around 2008. She would save her coaching money up so she could do international trips to Siberia to teach English to Russian teens. She used her trust activities from the ropes and climbing curriculum to teach Russian teens about US culture and US teens. She always felt that the youth needed to see that most people have the same basic wants and desires. If the youth could relate to people from other countries through student and teacher exchanges these youth could help bridge the cultural gaps that lead to international conflict making for a more peaceful planet in the future. She strived for peaceful conflict resolution whenever possible, but she was also willing to stand up for anyone being bullied.

When someone was struggling, she would often offer the advice that she applied to learning new things. “Work Harder and Smarter!” Sometimes I did that mom. Thank You, I miss you. “Belay Off”, GOD has you now and forever.

Pat was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Jim, and by her parents.

She is survived by her twin sister, Judith (Gerald) Boekholder of Zillah, WA, her younger sister Rebecca (David)Myers of Tustin, CA, her son Alan and daughter-in-law Robin Nielsen Brown; grandchildren, August Brown of Sioux Falls, SD, and Adriyn Brown of Worland, WY; niece, Nicole Rosati of Huntington Beach, CA, nephews, Randall (Tami) Myers of MO, Steven (Kim) Boekholder of UT and Michael (Karla) Boekholder of DE.

Cremation has taken place; a family and close friends Celebration of Life for Pat will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers or Memorials please donate to the youth outdoor education group or youth sports program of your choice in her honor. She loved flowers in the wild and her life’s work was to inspire, motivate and challenge the youth to be better than they ever believed they could be. Judging by the comments and messages we’ve received, she was successful in that endeavor. Online condolences may be made at www.bryantfuneralhomeonline.com.