Gloria Beverly Dunham Brown

Gloria Beverly Brown died November 23, 2019, in Cary, N.C. She was born on October 6, 1927 and was the daughter of James and Emma Dunham of Millville, New Jersey. Mrs. Brown was a teen when she met her future husband, Arch LeRue Brown Sr., at Millville High School. The two high school sweethearts were married in 1947 right after the war ended. The couple had six children, Elise, Arch LeRue Jr., James, Patti, Dana, and Joanne.

Mrs. Brown and her husband were both born and raised in Millville. They were always connected to the Millville community. Gloria’s father and uncles helped build several public buildings as bricklayers, including the high school. LeRue and his brothers, Julian and Roy, all worked for Wheaton Glass Company that was founded in Millville. As LeRue moved up in the company, the family moved to Cherry Hill, N. J., Richmond, Va. and ultimately Cary. When her children were young, The Browns enjoyed taking yearly trips to Ocean City, N.J. The boardwalk there holds many fond memories with rides and treats, especially homemade ice cream.

Mrs. Brown didn’t learn to drive until she was 35 years old. She learned so she could drive Dana each day to the St. Martin School for the Deaf in Philadelphia. She spoke often of those early days of driving to Philadelphia as a new driver-she felt it was harrowing. Mrs. Brown prided herself on being an excellent cook. Among her specialties was pot roast. Guests never left her home without being offered a meal or even forced to eat “a little something”. She loved movies and kept current on Hollywood celebrity gossip. She attended the First Baptist Church in Cary where her husband often was a soloist in the choir before he died in 1989 from heart failure.

Mrs. Brown was a prolific letter writer and wrote regularly to her four siblings. They included James Dunham and Gladys Ewing , who preceded her in death, and her older brother, Bud Dunham of Southern Pines N.C., and Doris Rieck of Matthews, N.C. Mrs. Brown was known for sending her children and twelve grandchildren letters filled with advice and newspaper clippings that she thought they would enjoy.

Mrs. Brown will be remembered as a strong-willed woman who enjoyed listening to Elvis, Frank Sinatra and Andy Williams. Family and friends meant everything to her. Her legacy is the many connections she made in her 92 years. She is survived by Elsie Strine and Jay Strine of Aberdeen, Maryland; Arch LeRue Brown and Ellen Brown of Hanover, Pennsylvania; James Brown of Midlothian, Virginia: and Patti Luzi Earley and Pete Earley of Chantilly, Va. Two of her children preceded her in death. Dana Davis died in 2006 and Joanne Corn passed in 2009, both from lung cancer. She missed them daily in her remaining years. Mrs. Brown remained in close contact with their husbands, Donnie Davis of Chattanooga, Tennessee and Phillip Corn of Raleigh.

Donations in her memory to St. Jude Children’s Hospital during this holiday season would be appreciated in lieu of flowers.

A memorial service for Gloria will be held Saturday, November 20, 2021 at 1:00 PM at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 200 SE Maynard Road, Cary, NC 27511. A reception will be held immediately after the memorial service. The family respectfully requests that those who attend please be vaccinated and wear masks. The service will be livestreamed through the join livestream link below. The link will be active a few minutes prior to the service time.