Elsie Woolard Brown

Funeral services will be held 3:00 PM Saturday, May 21, 2011 at Striffler-Hamby Mortuary, 4071 Macon Road, Columbus, GA 31907. Byron Hempy and Brett Hempy will officiate. Interment will follow in Parkhill Cemetery. The family will receive friends Friday evening from 5:00 PM until 6:30 PM at the funeral home. Pallbearers will be Jamie McVay, Mark McVay, Bill Jones, Bo Jones, Ben Jones, Ralph Leary, and Richard Leary.

Elsie was born September 9, 1913 in Long Beach, CA. She was a kind, loving Christian always opening her home to missionaries. She was a lifelong member of 13th Avenue Sanctified Church and its sister church, Miller Road Sanctified Church. Elsie will be remembered by many as one of the sweetest Sunday School Teachers. Her sweet spirit will be remembered by all.

Elsie was preceded in death by her parents, Fred and Maude Woolard, a sister Christine Leary, a brother, Ted Woolard, a beloved son in law, Robert Hempy, and her devoted husband of 58 years, Mark L. Brown.

Survivors include one daughter, Barbara Brown Hempy of Alta Loma, CA; one son, Kenneth Mark Brown and his wife, Frankie C. Brown of Hamilton, GA; six grandchildren, Sheri McVay and her husband, Jamie of Midland, GA, Christy Jones and her husband, Bill of Midland, GA, Beverly Ryan and her husband, Dave of Etiwanda, CA, Brad Hempy and his wife, Cheryl of Santa Barbara, CA, Byron Hempy and his wife, Karen of Largo, FL, and Brett Hempy of Alta Loma, CA; 14 great grandchildren and four great great grandchildren; one sister Merilee DuFrene of Midland, GA.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to Elsie’s caregivers, Roslyn Carson, Sandra Spencer, Teresa Person, Willenne Ferrell, Dorothy McBride, and Pam Moody.

In lieu of flowers the family request that donations be made to World Gospel Missions, www.wgm.org, or Columbus Hospice, www.columbushospice.com.

To Sign the online guest register please visit www.shcolumbus.com.