Vera Louise Smith Riley Brown

Vera Louise Smith Riley Brown passed away on Friday, the 24th of May 2019, at age 86. She was born on the 27th of July 1932, in Meadville, Mississippi, the youngest child to Ned Ivy Smith and Ludie Temple Smith.

Vera lived a very interesting and exciting life which she credits in part to her love of life, a love of people, and all things musical and beautiful. Growing up in Meadville, Mississippi, Vera was very active in extra-curricular activities where she was a majorette and played the French horn in her high school band. She went to summer school at a local junior college so she could graduate from high school in three (3) years at the age of 16. This allowed her to be “on her way!”

Vera had a lifelong passion for music, anything musical. She made her solo debut at age 12 singing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” After she graduated from high school, Vera attended college at Southwestern Louisiana Institute in Lafayette, Louisiana with a music scholarship playing the French horn in the college orchestra. She studied a number of different instruments, including the pipe organ. Her senior recital included both piano and voice. Vera graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education which brought her to Houston, Texas in 1955 as a music teacher for HISD. In Houston, Vera led a very active life where she sang the lead in local musical productions such as Show Boat and volunteered selling tickets for the Houston Grand Opera during its first year at the request of the late Elva Lobit, one of its founders. In 1956, Vera married her first husband and had three beautiful children: one daughter and two sons. Sadly, the marriage ended in divorce 14 years later.

In the sixties, Vera pursued another passion of hers: real estate. She obtained her realtor’s license, became a broker, and eventually opened a real estate office under her name, selling homes mostly in Memorial, Tanglewood, Highland Village, West University, and River Oaks.

In the seventies, Vera served on the boards of the March of Dimes, Theatre Under the Stars, and Young Audiences. She volunteered as a fund raiser for the Houston Symphony, Houston Grand Opera, Pin Oak Charity Horse Show benefitting Texas Children’s Hospital, and chaired numerous Events.

In 1979, Vera met a very colorful and outgoing man who would become the love of her life: Judge John R. Brown, Chief Judge of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. They were married on the 14th of September 1979. During their marriage, they traveled the world over (including throughout the United States, Europe, Greece, Egypt, and Panama) for court hearings, speeches, teaching, or swearing in of federal judges. Through her husband, Vera became involved with The Supreme Court Historical Society in Washington D.C. and was a member of its Board of Directors for 14 years, serving on the Executive Board for 12 of those years. After Judge Brown passed away, Vera honored his memory by creating the Judge John R. Brown Scholarship Foundation that awards students in American law schools for excellence in legal writing. The Brown Award has been very successful and is now in its 26th year.

In 2004, Vera had a vision that led to her creating and founding the Best Charities Events to honor the many chairs and dedicated volunteers for the nonprofit organizations in Houston. Award recipients included Lynn Wyatt as Chairman of the Grand Opera’s 50th Anniversary Gala, Mayor Bill White and Judge Robert Eckels as Humanitarians of the Year, and Betty Tutor and Diane Gendel as Chairmen of the Houston Symphony Ball.

Vera was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Houston, the Houston Club, and the Houston Country Club.

Vera is preceded in death by her parents, sisters and brothers, her beloved husband Judge John R. Brown and her dear son John Lamar Riley III. She is survived by her daughter Vera Jan Riley of Houston, Texas; her son James Patrick Riley DDS and his wife Cynthia Riley of Helotes, Texas; and stepson John R. Brown, Jr.

The family wishes to express their appreciation to the staff and caregivers at Village of Meyerland who helped Vera with her care over the past 5 years. In addition, the family wishes to express a special thank you to the nurses, caregivers, therapists, and volunteers at Seasons Hospice for their caring and support to Vera and her family over the past year.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from five o’clock in the afternoon until seven o’clock in the evening on Thursday, the 30th of May, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

The funeral service is to be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Friday, the 31st of May, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons. Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception to be held in the adjacent grand foyer.

The interment service will follow the reception, via an escorted cortege, at Magnolia Cemetery in Houston.

Pallbearers include Major General William G. Bowdon III (U.S. Marine Corps ret,), Kenneth G. Engerrand, Gary Freeman, Rob Jamail, Rob Rowland, and Davis Whiteford.

For those desiring, memorial donations may be made to either the Judge John R. Brown Scholarship Foundation, 1177 West Loop South, Tenth Floor, Houston, Texas 77027; Seasons Hospice Foundation; The Supreme Court Historical Society; or the Houston Symphony.