Delbert Eugene Brix, 92, passed away Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022 in Minneapolis MN.
The son of George Elmer Brix and Esther May Buckles, Delbert was born Aug. 15, 1930 in Huntington, IA and lived on his family’s farm which had 262 acres with milk cows and the usual livestock and crops of all the widely known Iowa Farms.
Mr. Brix received his educations in local schools in Iowa and went on the University of Nevada-Reno to earn his bachelor’s degree and two Master’s Degrees in Agriculture and Agronomy.
On Jan. 4 1951 Mr. Brix enlisted in the United States Navy. Then attended schools in the Great Lakes and Jacksonville, FL. His assignments and duty posts included Bremerton Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Nisan Naval Air Base just 40 miles south of Seoul Korea. Delbert was Assigned to a PBY-5A Catalina aircraft, as a first class petty office, and the Pearl Harbor Naval Base.
Mr. Brix was in a plane crash that was fatal for the Pilot and Co-Pilot into a lake in Korea where the water was 37 degrees. He just about drowned, crushed his right hand, and spent 10 days in hospital for hypothermia. Delbert was transported back from the Pearl Harbor Naval base in Hawaii to the United States aboard the Benjamin Harrison which took 11 days. This was the only time he was aboard a Naval Ship.
After returning to Iowa from the military he went to work at the Waterloo Water District as a chemist.
After college he entered the work force as a senior manager in seed development for Scott Seed Company, teaching and doing research in the agriculture department at University of Nevada-Reno, Property agent of Rancho San Rafael Ranch, and spending several years at the Nevada Search and Rescue (SAR).
Mr. Brix is survived by his former wife Ruth Lynne Larson, his daughter Andrea Lynne Brix Chisholm and her husband Colin A.J. Chisholm III and his grandson Colin A.W. Chisholm IV, his son Eric Eugene Brix and his wife Janet Rossano Brix, his sister Donna Mortimer and several nieces and nephews. Preceding his death, was his son Peter, his parents Elmer and Esther Brix, his brother Elmer and sisters Alice and Betty.
Mr. Brix was an avid hunter and outdoorsman; he spent his retirement years in Livingston, MT under the awe of the “Big SKY” and surrounded by finest fly fishing in America.
Mr. Brix spent a great deal of time at the Livingston Newspaper - “The Livingston Enterprise” adding to the smooth operations and cleverly keeping the staff happy and productive.
Over the last year Mr. Brix spent quality time with his friends and daughter in Minneapolis, MN and his son in Naples, FL and passed peacefully in his own bed, after living a well lived life.
An Interment Service with Military Honors will be held on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022 at the Fort Snelling National Cemetery at 1:30 p.m.
Don’t grieve for me, for I’m free,
I’m following paths God made for me I took his hand,
I heard him call, then turned, and bid farewell to all.
I could not stay another day
to laugh, to love, to sing, to play,
tasks left undone must stay that way.
I found my peace...at close of play
and if my parting left a void,
then fill it with remembered joy.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss ah yes,
these things I too will miss.
Be not burdened...deep with sorrow,
I wish you sunshine of tomorrow.
My life’s been full. I’ve savored much,
good friends, good times, a loved one’s touch.
Perhaps my time seemed all too brief.
Don’t lengthen it now with grief.
Lift-up your heart and share with me,
God wants me now...he set me free.
Del