Joan Ann Brown

Joan Ann Hill Brown was born in Long Island City, in western Queens, New York City, at Saint John’s Hospital April 6, 1933, to Teresa O’Donnell of Cumming, Iowa and Oliver Wyett Hill of Saint Louis, Missouri.

Joan eventually moved from New York City to Houston Heights, Garden Oaks, and Oak Forest via short residences in Pine Bluff, Arkansas and Austin, Texas. Joan attended All Saints Elementary and Incarnate Word Academy, Class of 1951.

Joan was smitten in youth group (CYO) at Saint Rose of Lima, her parish, with a boy in one class ahead of her, Paul Brown Junior, a Saint Thomas High School student. Joan enlisted two of Paul’s sisters, Saint Agnes students Ann Jenetta and Lillian, to coax Paul Joan’s direction. The coaxing worked, and the couple started dating, even with Paul’s five-year-old sister Billie Carolyn as escort. Joan and Paul walked down the aisle at Saint Rose April 14, 1952, with the couple’s wedding reception at Joan’s parents’ home on Gardenia. Joan gained her in-laws, Regina Diehl, and Paul Brown Senior, of Garden Oaks.

Joan quickly relocated in the first of her moves as a spouse to her Paul, as United States Air Force wife at Selfridge USAFB, Michigan. Joan welcomed her first child, Cynthia and second child, Paul at the Air Force Base Hospital, finding herself on the front page of the Mount Clemens newspaper: First woman on the base to deliver a baby. Cynthia the featured news story.

The Family relocated to Houston, Texas Langwood neighborhood, and requested by a priest, Victor DiPrimeo, to help start up a new parish planned: Saint Ambrose. Joan quickly got involved as the parish moved from Black Middle School to location on Mangum. Joan became scout leader, school mom, Altar Society member and volunteered her time to teach religious education. Joan welcomed her third child, Christopher before relocating to another new home on Costa Rica Street, in Mangum Manor. Joan welcomed her fourth child here, Vincent.

The residence was short lived, as Joan again challenged with another move, this relocation to Wichita Falls, Texas where her husband’s job transferred him. Joan enrolled her children at Our Lady Queen of Peace and became active in politics with her husband, who also was student at Midwestern University. Joan loved to reminisce of the involvement in the 1964 presidential campaign, where she was on committee to meet and greet Barry Goldwater, James Drury, and number of others, and loved showing off her kid’s front-page picture in the Wichita Falls Newspaper as ‘Republican kids’, during the campaign. Joan also greeted child number five, Craig.

Joan loved finding a new house and making it new home. This soon became a fact when Irving, Texas was another move. Joan loved her new home in Northgate West, walking distance to a new church and school she enrolled her kids in, Holy Family of Nazareth. This was just another stopping period.

Houston relocation and a new home selected, home number twelve constructed in this Sheraton Oaks subdivision, on Winding Way. Joan again enrolled her kids in school, Saint Ambrose, and then began her ‘AVON’ lady position for the next forty years. Joan’s territory was Inwood Forest, Bayou Bend, Sheraton Oaks, Arbor Oaks, and Candlelight Forest. Joan met lifelong friends as the Avon Lady, and it gave her way to socialize with other ladies who too were busy mothers with similar interests.

Joan as Empty Nester decided that a new move would be good: Joan located a new home in Longwood, Cypress area. She loved decorating this home from room to room and grew attached to her life here. Joan also used her coaxing skills to charm Paul into buying her a weekend home, in downtown Brenham, Texas. The 1920’s cottage was just the home for Joan to use her skills at home decorating to bring the house into a home of her taste.

Joan was active at Saint Matthews Catholic Church, signing the list at Saint Ambrose to start new parish, at ‘St. Eisenhower’ in those first days. Joan taught religious education, served on parish council, and was in Bible group that met until recently, as group had dwindled to handful as attrition took their ranks. Joan eventually joined Prince of Peace where she volunteered in the Funeral Ministry and joined the Stricklin Prince of Peace trips to various sites.

Joan travelled the world, loved planning the trips, and made visits to all fifty states. Joan flew in a two seater bi-plane, water skied in her young days, bungee jumped, spent many a trip in Colorado mountains, camping trips with Paul and grandkids in the family camper, scrapbooked, was photographer, renowned in family for her cooking, hostess of many family events, All Saints reunion leader, World War II scholar, card player, jigsaw puzzle maker, grandma to her grandkids, known for her letter writing, card sending on all occasions, and was ready for a new adventure.

To get to know Joan, you must know where she came from: her parents and their families. Joan, as only child, loved her parents deeply. Joan assembled shelves of scrapbooks chronicling their lives with pictures and words.

Joan’s father, Oliver Wyett Hill, joined wildcatter Glenn McCarthy as his accountant in Houston’s boom years; he then migrated over to work for the Mitchell Brothers, Christie, Johnny, and George before eventually retiring as Policeman in Southside Place, a small community near Texas Medical Center. Teresa O’Donnell was accountant for Southern Surety Life Insurance transferred in the 1920’s and 1930’s from Des Moines to St. Louis to New York City. Joan’s talked often of her parent’s siblings: Mary Dillon (Charles), Anna Webb (Homer), Nora Brown (Zean), Raymond ‘Bud’ O’Donnell (Teresa), Earl O’Donnell (Betty), Warren Hill, and Violet Hill Baldwin (Benjamin Baldwin).

Joan was preceded in death by husband, Paul Brown Jr.; son, Craig Brown; parents Oliver and Teresa Hill, in-laws Paul Brown Senior, Regina Diehl, and Shelby Cutrer Boutwell, and her favorite cousin, Angela Dillon Kuhlman.

Joan is survived by her children: Cynthia McCourt (Roy), Chris Brown (Alma), Vince Brown (Mari), and Paul Brown. Grandchildren are Sara Macias (Marco), Amy McDonald (Pat), Jenny Ornedo (Wilson), Terina Brown, Eric Brown, Monica Pulis (Ryan), Aidan Brown, Maya Brown, Nathan Schroeder, Kyleigh Brown, and Colleen Brown. Great-grandchildren are Riley Carr, Abby Carr, Aaron Macias, Ryan Macias, Emma Ornedo, Kai McDonald, Izzy McDonald, Jack Pulis, and Charlotte Pulis.

Pall bearers are Chris Brown, Vincent Brown, Roy Flores, Marco Macias, Aaron Macias, Eric Brown, Wilson Ornedo, Aidan Brown, and Rick Hacker.

The family would like to thank Hospice Brazos Valley, Kruse Village Assisted Living and Joan’s neighbors Roger and Michelle.

Reception will be BBQ dinner at Paul Brown’s Brenham home, 709 South Park, Brenham, Texas 77833.