Helen was born in Lviv, Ukraine on April 14, 1942 to parents Maria (née Mandzyk) Melnyk and Mykola Matiiv Melnyk. Beloved wife of Kelby D. Brown Sr (deceased) and loving mother of Kelby D. Brown Jr., she is also survived by nieces Natalie Bilokonsky (George) and Daria Tobasko, daughters of Helen’s only sibling, Sophie (née Melnyk) Buryj.
After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in education from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, in the mid-1960’s, and a Master's of Education Degree from Texas ATM – Kingsville in the 1980's, Helen's 30-plus year elementary teaching career took her from Cleveland, Ohio to Caracas, Venezuela, and eventually to San Antonio, Texas, where she resided since 1982.
An avid reader who enjoyed socializing with friends and family, travel, and the arts, Helen will be remembered for her biting wit, storytelling skills, and tenaciously optimistic disposition.
A funeral mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. Monday, February 9, 2026, at Saint Marks Church. Private interment at Mission Burial Park North will follow the service.
