Gilbert "Gib" Edward Brown Jr.

Commander ‘Gib’ Brown passed away, peacefully in his sleep, on Tuesday afternoon, May 12, 2026, at 1:38 PM. His wife and youngest daughter were with him at the time. He was 92 years old.

Gib is survived by his wife, Irene Diane (Kail) Brown, his oldest daughter Kaila Lee Brown, his son, Kevin Lynn Brown and his youngest daughter, Kerri Lou Brown. He also is survived by his daughter in-law, Mariko Hara Brown, his granddaughter, Hannah Lynn Brown.

Gib was born October 9, 1933, in Louisville, Kentucky to Gilbert Edward Brown, Sr., and Ava Blanche (Canada) Brown. They resided across the river in New Albany, Indiana, where Gib grew up. His parents owned a confectionary. Gib graduated from Culver Military Academy in Indiana, then later the U. S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. Gib earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering. Gib was a musician, playing trumpet and bugle, also serving as drum major.

In 1956, Gib began his career in the U. S. Coast Guard. He competed in the 1956 Newport to Bermuda race as the skipper of the Orion. He also sailed on the Coast Guard Barque Eagle on a tour to Europe. He went on to become a search and rescue pilot, flying Sikorsky HH-52A and HH-3F helicopters, as well as Lockeed HC-130 and Grumman HU-16 fixed-wing aircraft. In the early 1970’s, he was the architect of the Coast Guard flight simulation training program, overseeing design, procurement, and construction of the first full motion flight simulators in the country; an achievement for which he was inducted into the Coast Guard Aviation Hall of Honor. At the time of his retirement in 1977, he was the Executive Officer at Air Station San Francisco.

After leaving the Coast Guard, Gib continued his contributions to aviation, working as Program Manager for Link Flight Simulation, working on flight simulators for the NASA Space Shuttle program and later the U. S. military stealth program, including the B-1.

In 1960, he married Diane Kail at the Presbyterian Church in Twin Falls, Idaho. Later in life, Gib moved with his wife back to Twin Falls as their home. Gib was baptized as a Christian and was a member of the First Church of the Nazarene in Twin Falls. One of Gib’s favorite verses was John 14:6 which says, “No one comes to the Father [God] except through Me [Jesus Christ]”, and he would tell anyone who would listen about his savior, Jesus Christ.

Gib will be sorely missed by all those close to him.

Funeral services with military honors will be held at 11 AM, May 21, 2026, at the Snake River Canyon National Cemetery in Buhl, Idaho.