Mary Lee Brown

Mary L. Brown, 76, was born January 21, 1947, and was raised in Kansas City, Kansas, by Sam Malone Sr. and Mary Pervis Malone. She was known to many as “Little Mary” because she was named after her mother. She left us to go back home to be with the Almighty God on January 3, 2024.

She graduated from Sumner High School and was very active in school activities during her school days. She was an artist, and you can find her artistic contributions in the Sumner High School yearbook. She also attended Kansas City, Kansas Community College. Early on she worked several jobs but wasn’t content until she found her passion. Mary was an entrepreneur! She was very business-minded and had many gifts, talents, and abilities. She pursued her dreams and visions and “a star was born.” She became many “first” in the Kansas City area. She was the “first” Black female to open a beauty supply store in Bonner Springs, Kansas. She was the “first” Black female barber instructor in the state of Missouri. She did many amazing things. She was a writer, author of adult and children’s books. She was a cosmetologist and master barber and owner of her own barber/beauty salon for many years. She was a real estate agent, insurance agent, contributing writer and editor for Shop Talk Magazine. She created and published her own hair book/magazine, “For Your Curls Only” during the height of the Jherry curl craze that swept the nation during the eighties. To say the least, she was a multi business owner, Tricologist, a multi-patent holding inventor, charity worker, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt, sister, cousin, friend, wife… Most importantly, she was “LOVE”! She was our Proverbs 31 WOMAN!

Mary accepted Christ at an early age where she attended Emanuel Temple Church of God In Christ with her mother, Mary. As an adult she later joined Greater New Bethel AME Church in KC KS. She was an avid Bible reader, and scholar and she would always share the WORD of GOD! Mary was known for her fun loving, outgoing personality and so fresh and so clean style. She never met a stranger and had the most beautiful smile that could brighten up any day.

She is preceded in death by, Sam Sr. and Mary Malone; Roderick Brown; Mildred Malone; Birda Newton, Arthur Malone and Sam Malone Jr.

She leaves to cherish her memories, three sons and daughters-in-law; Roy Carlock (Paula); Lee Carlock (Alicia); Forrest Wilson, Jr. (Dilek); sister; Hazel Malone Jones; Bobby Harper-El, husband; 10 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of other relatives and friends. She is loved very much by her family, and she will be greatly missed. She will forever be in our hearts.

Services are pending.