Christopher James Brain

Christopher James Brain passed away on May 10, 2025, at Knoxville Hospital, surrounded by
those he dearly loved. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Details will be made
public once plans are finalized.
Chris was born in Newton, Iowa, on July 30, 1964, to James Brain and Sharon Smith
(McMaster). While living in Newton, he worked for Maytag, as well as working in camper and
RV refrigeration, and served as a volunteer for the Newton Fire Department. Chris worked for
his father at Brain Upholstery, where he eventually took over. He dabbled in selling wood pallet
stoves and could also convert those into corn stoves.
He loved nature, and summertime meant being outdoors with family and friends—camping,
boating on Lake Red Rock, Mariposa, Rock Creek, and Rathbun, or sitting around a campfire
swapping stories late into the night. He also loved hunting and fishing, always looking for that
next big catch. Even if the weather was bad, Chris could be found chasing storms for fun. He
spent his spare time working on cars, pickups, boats, motorcycles, or campers in the garage. He
enjoyed sharing his knowledge of cars with his daughters. When he wasn’t fixing things, Chris
enjoyed building model trains. He had an entire room in the basement where he carefully and
thoroughly created an entire community revolving around the train tracks. Every detail was
meticulously considered.
He enjoyed the old westerns and Big Bang Theory and was also a fan of Batman. He also
enjoyed a delicious meal, especially meat, potatoes, and carrots. Shelly’s cooking was his
favorite! Chris could cook a great meal as well. Steaks, burgers, cheesy loaded hashbrowns, and
cheese dip were a few of his specialties. His favorite ingredients were garlic salt and Lowry’s,
adding it to almost everything! He even perfected tacos over a campfire that took days to
properly prepare. The recipe for his cherry chocolate cake was always a secret that he would
never divulge.
He was a loving husband, father, grandpa, uncle, and nephew. His four grandchildren were the
joy of his life. He never missed a chance to be at their sporting events, cheering them on with
pride in his heart. He was always there even if he had to park a mile away. He will be deeply
missed, lovingly remembered, and forever part of every campfire, boat ride, and old Western
from here on out.
Chris leaves behind his wife of 35 years, Shelly; daughters, Alexa (Alex) Bebout and Megan
(Terry Reynolds) Brain; grandchildren: Evelyn, Bennett, Brendan, and Scarlett; siblings: Kathy
Ambrose, Patricia Retzolff, Tony Brain, and Robbie Smith; father in-law, Kay (Shirley) Harsin;
brother, Eric (Michelle) Harsin; brother in-law, Daryl VanWyngarden; and many other loving
family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a nephew, Clayton Harsin; mother in-law, Sandra
Harsin; a sister in-law, Sheryl VanWyngarden; and many other loving friends and family.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Chris’s wife, Shelly.