‘I love visiting with people’

Jeannie Brown has been taking tickets at Spartan sporting events for 21 years

PRIEST RIVER – One of the most well-known people at Priest River Lamanna High School sporting events isn’t a player or a coach. It’s Jeannie Brown, the person at the gate who sells you your ticket.

“Somebody needs to do it,” says Brown, who has been selling tickets at Spartan home games for 21 years. “It’s better than sitting at home doing nothing.”

That’s only part of the reason Brown has been volunteering more than two decades.

“I love visiting with people,” she says. People entering games are upbeat and friendly. They’re coming to watch their kids and grandkids play. After a few games, people recognize her. “Even people from visiting teams recognize me.”

Brown, a 1978 Priest River graduate, first started when she was working at the junior high and the regular ticket taker couldn’t do it and asked her if she could substitute for her.

“So, I subbed,” she says. That was in 2004. Her husband Gary had passed away, so she kept doing it because she liked it and wanted something to do. She takes tickets for all home sporting events except baseball.

She was visible to Priest River Junior High students for even longer than she’s been selling tickets.

“I was head custodian at Priest River Junior High for 32 years,” she says, working during the day. She retired from that job nine years ago. She’s only semi-retired, though. She’s been a secretary for the West Pend Oreille Fire District for 23 years.

“I was Les’s secretary for 20 years,” she says, referring to Les Kokanos, the popular fire chief who passed away last year. “I’ve been Jamie’s secretary for the last three.” Jamie Painton is the current fire chief.

Brown says she’s seen a couple generations of Spartan fans.

“I do recognize some people who went to school with my son.” She says. “Now they’re grandparents watching their grandkids play.”

Brown doesn’t get to see the games, though.

“That’s what I see,” she says,” gesturing towards the gym where part of the play is visible from her seat at the door. “I don’t see the game clock or the score.” But she does hear the crowd. When late arrivers pay for their ticket, they often ask about the game.

“People ask me how they’re doing,” she says. “I say I don’t know.”

After she’s done taking tickets for the game, she sometimes watches the end of games.

“I do like to watch if it’s close,” she says.

Students are admitted to games for $2 if they show their Associated Student Body Card, otherwise it’s $5. One student says he left his card in his truck. Brown sends him back to get it. Another student lost his card but had a note saying that he had purchased it. After a reading the note Brown lets him in for $2.

“I do like to tease them,” she says.

One thing about being a ticket taker is that she doesn’t have to deal with parents cranky about the coaching or refereeing.

“I’m not in control,” she says. “I can be happy with everybody.”