OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- Clearn Wesley Browning, 89, of Olive Branch died Monday, May 11, 2015, at Illinois Veterans Home in Anna.

He was born May 31, 1925, in Alexander County near Olive Branch, son of Arlie and Eva Gettings-Browning. He married Margaret Foster on Dec. 19, 1945.

Out of that union four children survive, Carolyn (Dick) Messner of Springfield, Missouri, Glen Browning of Russellville, Kentucky, Cheryl Heady of Olive Branch and Dennis (Donal) Browning of Cape Girardeau.

Also seven grandchildren, April (Freddie) Lacey, Mandy (Bryce) Winder, Joshua (Tara) Browning, Haley (Ben) Jayne, Tori (Jason) Moore, Sherri (Charlie) Tuttle and Karen Messner; nine great-grandchildren, Ashley (Nathan) Thomasson, Alexandria and MacKenzie Lacey, Malley and Adien Jayne, Alexis Moore and Gentry, Payton and Weston Tuttle; lots of nieces, nephews and many other relatives.

Clearn owned and operated Browning TV & Electrical Service in Olive Branch 45 years. He drove a school bus for the Olive Branch School District and Egyptian School District 48 years. He was the tenor singer and manager of the Browning Quartet and they traveled with some of the best gospel music quartets during the late 1940s and '50s. He attended Trinity Assembly of God Church in Olive Branch.

He was a World War II veteran in the 1st Cavalry, 12th Division, serving as a combat radio operator in New Guinea, Admiralty Island and the Philippines. He was with the first Occupational Forces in Japan. He was wounded and received a Purple Heart, Bronze Star and other medals. He was on the deck of an adjacent ship where he witnessed the surrender of Japan and the signing of the surrender treaty. He was proud of his country and was honored to have served.

Clearn spent the last few years in the Illinois Veterans Home where he received excellent care and treating him as one of their family.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Margaret Foster Browning on Jan. 25, 1976; parents; a grandson, Brent Heady on Jan. 25, 1993; a son-in-law, Billy Don Heady; a daughter-in-law, Kathy Browning; five brothers, Deloren, Russell, Ernest, Enos and Maurice Browning; and two sisters, Zelma Caldwell and Mary Browning.

The funeral will be at 11 a.m. today at Crain Funeral Home in Tamms, Illinois, with the Revs. Dick Messner and Steve Clardy officiating. Interment will be in Olive Branch Cemetery with military honors by area veterans and the Illinois National Guard.

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