Teresa June (Bickel) Brown, peacefully completed her earthly life’s journey, with her beloved family at her side, at home in Evart, on Friday, March 20, 2026. She was born in Cadillac, Michigan, on May 25, 1955. Teresa was the second daughter of Calvin L. Bickel and Cora S. (Bickel) Higel. Teresa graduated from Marion High School in 1973. She attended Southern Missionary College for one year and worked at McKee Bakery (Little Debbie), where she met her husband, Alton (Thomas) Brown. They shared getting into product fights and having their paychecks docked. Tom and Teresa were engaged to be married before their first date. The two were married on June 28, 1974.

Teresa’s husband, Tom, joined the U.S. Navy in 1976. Teresa and Tom made a joint decision for Teresa to stay at home and raise their three children, the 3 Js (Jerica, Joshua, and Jenny), following Tom’s Navy career up and down the East Coast of the United States. Teresa also worked in various roles, including a home-delivery service for Charles Chips and as a Summer Camp Director at the Teen Center at Cecil Field Air Station.

After Tom retired from the Navy and the family moved to Michigan in 1995, Teresa worked in the front office at Springhill Camps. She was then employed at Ferris State University in the College of Criminal Justice as a secretary for about ten years. Teresa also shared editing and reviewing speeches or expert witness testimonies for professors between her employment at Ferris State University and her work at a non-profit organization. Teresa returned to Ferris State University and worked in the Tutoring Center for six years before retiring in 2022.

Teresa was an active member of the First Baptist Church of Evart for 23 years, participating in the church choir and Vacation Bible School. Teresa served as a leader for the Children’s Choir and Children’s Bell Choir. Her creative and artistic talents were used in church ministry, where she designed and built floats for the 4th of July Parades and made signs promoting Vacation Bible School. Teresa also helped organize and send packages to missionaries in Micronesia.

Teresa enjoyed doing arts and crafts, including sewing, quilting, crocheting, painting, and drawing. She liked attending the Yoder Amish Flea Market and Auction twice a year. Her family knew her to bid on quilt toppers she believed no one else would buy. She took pride in providing for her family through canning various fruits and vegetables, with one rule for her children: they had to return the jars and rings after they consumed her shared canned goods. Teresa enjoyed doodling and drawing, sometimes creating her own Christmas Cards. She loved animals and bird watching. As a passionate baseball fan, she enjoyed watching live games, whether major league (Detroit Tigers) or minor league (Grand Rapids Whitecaps).

Teresa is survived by her loving husband, Tom Brown, their three children: Jerica Brown; Josh (Sara) Brown and their children (USMC Sergeant) Cameron, Evan, Oscar, Dorthy, Issac, and Solomon; and Jenny (Ben) Mishler and their children (USAF Staff Sergeant) Ethan and Kyle. Teresa's family includes her mother, Cora Higel, as well as her siblings Penny (Rudy) Morche, Tonia (Mark) Lawson, Paul Bickel, and Diane Buffington. She is additionally survived by her in-laws, Robert (Evelyn) Brown, Iree (Joel) Winters, and Joe (Kim) Brown and several cousins, nieces, nephews, including great-nieces and great-nephews.

Teresa has one little one waiting for her in Heaven and was preceded in death by Calvin Bickel (father) and Phyllis Bickel (stepmother), her in-laws, Oscar James Brown and Ida Mae Brown, Judy Ealy (aunt) and Donald Ealy (uncle), who cared for her while she was growing up, additionally, many aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Memorial Services will be held Sunday, April 26th at 1:30 pm at the First Baptist Church of Evart. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the United Service Organization (USO). https://give.uso.org/page/2506_evergreen?sc=WA2510RR01

Condolences can be left online at www.coreyfuneralhome.com