Mary Emma Brown

She was preceded in deathby her husband, Gerald M. Brown, Sr.

Survivors include her sons, Gerald M., Troy D., Gary S. all of Myakka City; daughter, Susan Brown-Iannetti of Myakka City; brother, Jack McLin of Olive Hill, Tenn.; sisters, Blanche Wilkerson, Carolyn Sue Bryant both of Olive Hill, Tenn.; ten grandchildren, Nicole, Kylie, Kira, Macy, Courtney, Jerrett, Madison, Morgan, Dalton, Mary Emma; one great-grandson, David; longtime caregiver, Juanita Werfelman.

A funeral service wil be held 2 p.m. Monday, March 5, 2012 at Myakka Family Worship Center, interment to follow in Palms-Robarts Memorial Park. The family will receive friends 1-2 p.m. Monday at the church.

If there was ever a person who wanted to heal all the wrongs in the world, it was Mary Emma Brown. She was an idealist who sought to bring harmony to those around her. Even though Mary was enthusiastic and generous, it was sometimes difficult for her to boast about her accomplishments. Mary had strong personal convictions, making it hard for her to relinquish those ideals she held dearest to herself. Despite her outer strengths and beliefs, Mary sometimes struggled in her efforts to see the world as completely positive. Mary's life motto was always to hope for the best and work hard towards that end, but be prepared for some of life's disappointments. This philosophy was a continual driving force in her life, but it did not extinguish the bright light that defined the dreamer in Mary, something that was always there and that she readily shared with everyone around her.

Mary was born on September 13, 1944 in Olive Hill, Tennessee. Her parents were James and Flora Bell McLin. Mary was raised in Olive Hill, Tennessee. As a youngster, Mary demonstrated an excellent vocabulary and command of language. She was a compassionate person, a quality that she would carry with her throughout her life. Even at a young age, Mary was sensitive to her parents’ moods and worked hard to please them and live up to their expectations.

Throughout her life, Mary showed a remarkable ability to mend relationships. This was true even with her siblings. Mary was caring, diplomatic and tolerant of the feelings of those around her. Mary was raised with eleven siblings. She had five brothers, Jake, Pete, Dick, Jack, James; and six sisters, Blanche, Ollie, Nannie, Verna, Carolyn, and Birdie. Mary was constantly involved in activities with her brothers and sisters. Mary and her siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up, but they cared deeply for one another.

As a young girl, Mary lived a childhood filled with fantasy. She was generally in pursuit of her own identity, but she was also adaptable to almost any situation she faced. Mary took part in baseball. In her spare time she liked fishing. Mary had many memorable achievements. However, to Mary, the most fun to be had was simply playing, and spending time with her many friends.

While those who did not know her well found Mary to be somewhat reserved until they got to know her, she was an authentic and devoted friend. Mary was a tranquil person, with an easygoing and open-minded attitude towards life. She presented a pleasant face to the outside world but concealed the pain and discomfort she felt over her own friends’ difficulties. Mary sought to achieve harmony with everyone and possessed the ability to mend conflicts and avoid interpersonal struggles. While growing up, her best friend was Frankie Raney.

The desire for romance was always present in Mary's life. She succeeded in finding it on July 5, 1963, when Mary exchanged wedding vows with Gerald Michael Brown, Sr. at a courthouse in Georgia. Mary cared passionately for Gerald. Her deep loyalty and a strong commitment to her vows brought a sense of completeness to their marriage.

Mary was a gentle person who held deep feelings for her children. She enjoyed having fun with her kids and was at times fiercely protective of them. Mary showed great empathy in her willingness to give every family member a voice in family decisions. She was blessed with four children, one daughter, Susan; three sons, Gerald, Troy, and Gary. They were also blessed with ten grandchildren and one great-grandson, Nicole, Kylie, Kira, Macy, Courtney, Jerrett, Madison, Morgan, Dalton, Mary Emma and David.

Blessed with a strong sense of integrity, Mary was as loyal and committed in her work as she was in the rest of her life. Mary worked well with fellow employees and showed great cooperation in reaching common goals. Though she had a tendency to take on too many tasks, herself; Mary showed great patience with complicated situations. She was ingenious and trusted her intuition. For Mary, the application of logic could be optional, Mary always seemed to be able to get the job done. She was most comfortable working on the projects and jobs that she strongly supported. Her primary occupation was a devoted housewife and mother which she wonderfully performed for 47 years. Mary always tried to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done.

Mary enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were cooking, crocheting and fishing. Mary was content to enjoy her hobbies alone but she was also willing to share her interests with others.

Mary's tremendous enthusiasm for the activities she enjoyed also influenced the pleasure she drew from sports. As a child, Mary played baseball. Mary also enjoyed watching sports and liked following her favorite teams whenever she got the chance to do so.

Mary passed away on February 29, 2012 at Edward White Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida. She is survived by her daughter, Susan Brown-Iannetti of Myakka City; sons, Gerald M., Troy D., Gary S. all of Myakka City; brother, Jack McLin of Olive Hill, Tenn.; sisters, Blanche Wilkerson, Carolyn Sue Bryant both of Olive Hill, Tenn.; ten grandchildren, Nicole, Kylie, Kira, Macy, Courtney, Jerrett, Madison, Morgan, Dalton, Mary Emma; one great-grandson, David; longtime caregiver, Juanita Werfelman. Mary was laid to rest in Palms-Robarts Memorial Park.

Mary Emma Brown was someone who was able to see the world as a good and honorable place. She viewed the people who inhabited it as essentially good. A person who tended to see the world in terms of black and white, Mary tried to focus on the good she saw, knowing that there were times she would have to compromise. She was selfless and deeply committed to all things positive and good. Mary was a person who would keep her eye on tomorrow and constantly held onto her dreams. She was capable of being mystical at times, and she could be the seer or shaman of a group. It was this exceptional insight and quiet reserve that became Mary's trademark qualities for all who knew her, and it was one of the many reasons why all who knew her loved Mary Emma Brown.