Dick Brown was born on September 14, 1903 in Robinson, North Dakota. He moved with his family to the Pillager, MN area. He was married several times and worked in many different locations.
He was a veteran of WWII. He moved to Brainerd, MN in the 50’s working in the railroad shops. This is when it is believed that he started making decoys.
After a debilitating problem with his spline, he no longer could work heavy jobs, so with that he moved to Motely, which is 30 miles west of Brainerd, MN. He and Fred and Maretta Hanson were partners in a bait store and there he would make the majority of his decoys.
He would use pine wood and tobacco tins (Prince Albert) to create the fins. Dick would also put glitter on his decoys before the paint would dry. He always painted a red swatch on the front of his decoys.
Dick Brown passed away while living in a nursing home located in Staples, MN. on January 19, 1990.
REFERENCE: Decoy Magazine, Issue November/December 2002, Page 44, article Titled: “Dick E. Brown – A prolific Minnesota maker of spear fishing decoys”. by Don Petersen