Mrs. Martha Morrison Brown

Martha Morrison Brown died at WellSpring Retirement Community on Saturday morning, April 16, 2011. Mrs. Brown was born in Asheville, NC on August 18, 1913, the daughter of Theodore Davidson Morrison and Eleanor Fakes Morrison. While in Asheville she was active in the Junior League, serving as treasurer for many years. She was a graduate of the National Cathedral School in Washington, DC and queen of The Rhododendron Ball in Asheville. Her grandfather started T.S. Morrison & Company, a hardware and farm machinery company in Asheville in 1891, which stayed in business until 2007, although in later years as a gift store. He also started the first branch of Wachovia Bank in Asheville. In Asheville Mrs. Brown was a member of First Presbyterian Church, an officer of The Junior League, a volunteer for the Childrens’ Home Society and a member of Biltmore Forest Country Club.

In 1949 Mrs. Brown moved to Greensboro with her husband, Chester H. Brown, and their two children, where she continued her loyal role as homemaker and mother, and later as a grandmother and great grandmother. She was a member of her church circle at First Presbyterian Church, where she has been a faithful member since moving to Greensboro. For many years she served as a visitor and chauffeur for the Presbyterian Home at High Point. For well over 40 years she was a member of the Greensboro Country Club, Wednesday Literary Club, Dogwood Garden Club, The Assembly, and was active in many other church and civic affairs such as Meals on Wheels.

Mrs. Brown was preceded in death by Chester H. Brown, her husband of 66 years (her death was just two days shy of what would have been their 75th wedding anniversary). Also predeceasing her were her parents, Theodore Davidson and Eleanor Fakes Morrison and three brothers, Thomas, Theodore and James Morrison. She is survived by a daughter, Eleanor Brown Walker; son, Chester H. Brown, Jr and his wife, Nancy; grandson, Chester Brown, III and his wife Martha and their two children, Hardy and Ellis; granddaughter, Maureen Brown Voorhees and her husband Ned and their three children, Haven, Oliver and Owen, all of Greensboro; Ann O’Leary Brown, mother of Chester and Maureen; and three step-grandchildren, Gail Whalley and her husband George, Lynn Agapi-Gilligan and her husband Patrick, and Michael Agapi, and five step-great grandchildren, Beth and Ben Whalley and Halle, Abby, and Kate Gilligan, all residents of Ohio; sixteen nephews and nieces and their children.

She was a devout Christian who was a witness to her family and all who knew her. She told her granddaughter that she did not fear death because she knew she would be in the arms of her Savior Jesus and her beloved husband, Chet. She was an excellent bridge player who often made “day wages” (top earnings of $1.40 in a session). Martha was a faithful and loving wife and mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and had a servant’s heart and a fantastic sense of humor, right to the end.

The family wishes to express their deepest thanks to Bernice Clay and Phyllis Dawkins, faithful, loving and Christian caregivers for the last three years, and to WellSpring Retirement Community, her home for the last 17 ½ years. A celebration of her life will be held at 2 pm, Tuesday, April 19th, 20ll at First Presbyterian Church, 617 N. Elm Street Greensboro, NC. After the service the family will receive friends in the Virginia Gilmer Room. A memorial service at WellSpring later in the week is being planned.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials be made to The Good Samaritan Fund at First Presbyterian Church, 617 N. Elm Street, Greensboro, NC 27401, First Presbyterian Church, 40 Church St., Asheville, NC 28801, Greensboro Urban Ministry, 305 W. Lee Street, Greensboro, NC 27406, or the donor’s choice.