Betty M. Brown, 87, of Fort Smith passed from this life December 7, 2019 in Fort Smith. She was born April 9, 1932, in San Augustine, Texas to the late Johnnie and Effie Bennefield Mills. Betty received her Bachelor of Science Degree from East Texas Baptist College. She was a longtime member of Grand Avenue Baptist Church, where she was active with the WMU (Woman’s Missionary Union). Betty’s cherished her family, and was a loving mother, grandmother “Nanny” and great grandmother. She was the widow of MSgt (Retired) Gerald M. Brown.
Betty is survived by her three sons, Richard Brown and his wife Jeanne of Muskogee, Oklahoma, Randall Brown and his wife Barbara and Ryan Brown and his wife Renda, all of Fort Smith; Debra Brown-Murray of Columbia, Tennessee and Corey Story of Van Buren; one brother, Johnnie Mills of San Augustine, Texas; eleven grandchildren, Jason Brown, Zachary Brown, Elizabeth Brown, Natalie Edmonson, Mallorie Sims, Christian Brown, Josh Brown, Taylor Brown, Charley Marie Fox, Bobbey Sue Bowlin and Jackey Lynn Maxwell; thirteen great grandchildren, as well as caregiver and adopted granddaughter, Ashley Meinert.
Funeral services will be 10:30am Wednesday December 11, 2019 at Grand Avenue Baptist Church. Burial will follow at the U.S. National Cemetery in Fort Smith. The family will greet friends from 5:00 to 7:00pm Tuesday, December 10, 2019 in Edwards Funeral Home Chapel. Services are under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home.
We would like to thank the nurses and staff of Heart of Hospice who took such loving care of our Mom in her final days.
The family requests, in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to Grand Avenue Baptist Church WMU, 3900 Grand Avenue, Fort Smith, Arkansas 72904 or the Alzheimer’s Association, Oklahoma and Arkansas Chapter, Inc., Western Arkansas Regional Center, 2408 South 51st Court, Suite F, Fort Smith, Arkansas 72903.
To leave an online memory, visit www.edwardsfuneralhome.com
