Edna Brown

June 19, 2010

Edna Brown was born April 15, 1934, at Russellville Hospital, in Russellville, Ala.

She was the daughter of Josephine and Clarence Box and was raised in Russellville. Always at the ready with a smile and a good joke, she grew up to be quite a humorous person. Edna had six siblings, Clarence Jr., JoAnn, Walter, Doris Jean, Geraldine and Dennis. Edna was very accepting and supportive of her family. She was perceived as the central person in her family in terms of keeping communication open between the family members. Whenever discord or tension arose within the home, Edna was typically the member who brought about resolution and harmony. As a young girl, Edna had the ability to find amusement with almost any activity she and the many childhood friends she shared might discover. One activity in particular that she enjoyed was rolling down hills with her brother, Clarence, to see which one got to the bottom first. During her high school years, her favorite class in high school was English. The teacher she enjoyed learning from the most was Mrs. White. She was a cheerleader and ran track. When she was 16, Edna left school to marry the love her life, Thomas Brown. They would remain married for over 55 years. In the 1973-74 school year, Edna returned to school by enrolling in Vo-Tech High School in Las Vegas. Although it was difficult at times, she managed to juggle the responsibilities of being a wife and mother with going to school full-time; and in 1975, she graduated from high school. Edna considered this as one of her greatest accomplishments because she wanted to set a positive example for her children as to the importance of getting an education, regardless of the circumstances. It is because of this commitment to education that all five of her children are high school graduates. Edna was a very loving, natural and creative parent who was willing to provide her family with all sorts of new and interesting experiences. For Edna, parenting was a particularly enjoyable and pleasurable part of her life. Every activity, from chores to bedtime routines, became a game in the Brown home. Edna was blessed with five children, Thomas Lafayette, Gwendolyn, Garry, Renee and Sherry. She and her husband, Thomas were also blessed with six grandchildren, Nicole, Kayla, Amy, Thomas “Tony,” Carly and Tyler. Because Edna loved to have a broad variety of activities in her life, she took advantage of the opportunity to pursue numerous hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were cooking, gardening, reading and volunteering. However, Edna’s ever-present concern for others always took precedent and family always came first. Throughout her life, Edna was actively involved in professional and community organizations. Throughout her later years, she was an active member of the Bridge Club, a boy/girl scout den mother, PTA member and Las Vegas Mental Health Center volunteer. Edna was a woman who was dedicated and devoted to her faith. She was a member of the Catholic parish at Nellis Air Force Base for 10 years. During that time, she was teacher for CCD and participated in the parish council. Though she never did anything solely for individual recognition, Edna’s ingenuity, resourcefulness and selflessness earned her accolades for her many lifelong efforts. Some of her most prestigious awards included volunteer of the year for Clark County Mental Health Center in 1977. Edna Brown passed away June 19, 2010, at Valley Hospital in Las Vegas, leaving a hole in the hearts of all who loved her. She had a heart attack. She is survived by her husband of 55 years, Thomas; oldest son, Lafayette; oldest daughter, Gwendolyn; and youngest daughter, Sherry. Services will be at Our Lady of Las Vegas Catholic Church. Edna will be laid to rest in Palm Valley View Memorial Park in Las Vegas. Edna was always more than willing to share life’s experiences with her loved ones. Those who were fortunate enough to have called her wife, mom, sister, grandma, aunt and friend, know how blessed and lucky they were to have had her in their lives. As long as Edna is remembered with love, she didn’t really die. She lives on in our hearts forever.