Wilhelmina E. Brown

Wilhelmina Elaine McRae-Brown, beloved and only daughter of the late Nancy Peterkin and Beauford McRae was born on July 9, 1936, in Brooklyn, NY and departed this life on April 27, 2026, in Little Neck, NY.

Wilhelmina, affectionately known as “Wila” to many relatives or “Mina” by others, spent her toddler years in Brooklyn, NY, then attended elementary school in Bennettsville, SC, (her parent’s birthplace) for a short period before the family returned back to Brooklyn during her middle school years. She completed her high school education at Girls High School in Bedford–Stuyvesant and pursued higher education at Howard University in Washington, DC where she received a Bachelor of Science degree.

After college, Wilhelmina started her tenured career as a social worker for the city of New York in the department of foster care and adoption. While working, she spent her 20’s as a young professional that loved to travel (making her first journey to Europe on her own visiting several countries), spending time with family, and being active in church and civic activism. Through the matchmaking of a friend, she went on a blind date with William Brown Jr., an army veteran from Rocky Mount, NC. They wed on Christmas Eve in 1966 and were married for 41 years until Bill departed this life in 2007. From their union they raised April Nancy Brown and William (Billy) McRae Brown in Queens Village, NY.

After retiring from the department of social services in 1992, Wilhelmina spent her time cooking, volunteering, and picked up traveling again. She loved nothing more than vacationing with family and friends and cherished multiple retiree “cruise” excursions to the Mediterranean, Hawaii, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

Wilhelmina was known for her fashionable style, love of theatre, and dining out. She and Bill loved Broadway plays and especially seeing the works of August Wilson. She loved her family and most of all, she loved the Lord. She was an active member of the New Covenant Church of Christ in Queens Village where she held multiple leadership roles such as Women’s Day Chair, Sunday School teacher, and a member of the Baptist Training Unit. She faithfully attended and served at New Covenant until her health started to decline. Although she wasn’t present in person, she continued relationships with the membership and participated in weekly online prayer meetings.

Wilhelmina leaves a legacy of faith and ever-present kindness. Among those to cherish her loving spirit are daughter April, son Billy, daughter-in-law Anilexa, granddaughter Alayna Kate, grandson William McRae, and goddaughter Peach Alston. Although she was an only child, she had deep loving bonds with a multitude of first cousins from Brooklyn, Bennettsville, and Washington, DC. She cherished each not as cousins but as brothers and sisters.

Visitation will be held at R. Stutzmann & Son, 224-39 Jamaica Ave, Queens Village, NY 11428, US, on May 7, 2026, from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

A Funeral Service will take place at R. Stutzmann & Son, 224-39 Jamaica Ave, Queens Village, NY 11428, US, on May 8, 2026, from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm.

A Committal Service will follow at Springfield Cemetery, 121-111 Springfield Blvd, Springfield Gardens, NY 11413, on May 8, 2026, from 12:45 pm to 1:15 pm.