Shirley JoAnn Brown was the youngest of four children born to Oscar William Johnson and Pearl Irene Rains-Johnson on November 25, 1932. Her two brothers, Louis and Don, and her sister Maxine, were all a minimum of ten years older, and on the day that she was born, they insisted that she would be called "JoAnn" (her middle name) not Shirley (her first name), and so she was called her entire life. She spent much of her childhood almost like an only child on the homestead farm until the house burned to the ground within 30 minutes. Her parents then bought a large house in the tiny town of Hasty, Colorado where Oscar became an auctioneer and Pearl would work as the Postmistress for the decades. She spent the rest of her childhood growing up in that house and often told the story of one of her most special birthdays where her mother composed short poems as clues for the children to go on a scavenger hunt. Each poem led to the next poem until they found all the clues and received the birthday surprise in the final poem.

On October 8, 1950, JoAnn married Alvin "Merl" Brown (who also only used his middle name) after a whirlwind romance. They were both only 17; Merl turned 18 on October 24th, and JoAnn turned 18 a month after that on November 25th. Merl shared the story that their first date was a double date, and they were in the back seat of his friend's car when he kissed her for the first time before they even made it two miles down the road. Thus began the reality of a love story that sounded like something out of a fictional romance novel. During that 55 years of marriage that knew more than a few challenges, they never had a single "fight" and remained devoted to each other until the day he died of cancer in May of 2005.

JoAnn was a full-time wife and mother until her two older children were teenagers. Their daughter, Christine Sue Brown, was born on October 7, 1951--the day before their first wedding anniversary. their second child was a son, Steven Kim Brown, born 2 1/2 years later on April 30, 1954. They wanted a third child, but Sherri Gay Brown would not arrive for another ten years (much like JoAnn herself) until two days after Christmas on December 27, 1963. Merl had moved JoAnn and Christi up to Northern Idaho and eventually began working in the Sunshine Silver Mine, and the family (which now include baby brother Steve) moved in the housing development for the minters and their families off of Big Creek Road. When Christi was in 5th grade, they bought a house down the road in Kingston, Idaho, and the family often spent summers at Lake Coeur d' Alene camping and water skiing. But after two very close brushes with death in the Sunshine mine over 10 years, Merl decided to leave for trade school in Tucson, Arizona where he learned the trade of pipe fitter and welder. After Sherri was born, he first tried to operate his own business in Las Animas, then moved the family to Colorado Springs while he worked for Boyd's Welding, and finally moved them to unincorporated Jefferson County in the Southwest suburbs of Denver when he went to work for Coors Brewery in construction. Merl began building a four-bedroom, brick ranch-style home in Golden, CO while working at Coors, and in the early 1970s, they moved with their daughter Sherri.

JoAnn had done some light bookkeeping for a few years, but was still primarily a wife and mother. She had, however, started playing Bridge in her twenties. Bridge became a lifelong passion, and she would ultimately attain "Life Master" in the Contract Bridge League (ACBL)--a high-ranking title awarded to players who accumulate a significant number of Masterpoints and achieve specific requirements in black, silver, and red/gold/platinum categories. This title signified her deep understanding and skill in the game, distinguishing her with demonstrated proficiency through tournament play at local club events, Sectional and Regional tournaments. But it wasn't just her brilliant mind that made her a coveted Bridge partner--it was her loving personality coupled with a kind heart and a gentle sense of humor. JoAnn was a social butterfly everywhere she went because everyone who met her could not help but love her--as a friend, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She was also an adored aunt and sister-in-law--especially to her sister Maxine's daughters Sharon and Diane and their families; her brother Louis, his wife Edith, their son Bob and his family; as well as Merl's nine brothers and sisters with their husbands, wives, and families. She had an especially close relationship with her sister-in-law Evelyn who married Merl's brother Earl and was equally adored by their two boys Devrie and Deon.