Rena Arlene Brown, 94, died peacefully at home on February 5, 2018, surrounded by many of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Arlene was born November 3, 1923 in Franklin, North Carolina, one of 9 children of the Rev’s. Reuben Ayers Truitt and Cora Annie (Sharpe) Truitt.
Arlene was pre-deceased by her husband, Ralph William Brown, whom she met at the Pillar-of-Fire Community in Zarepath, New Jersey, where her parents were both ministers.
Ralph and Arlene were married June 10, 1944, in Jacksonville, Florida. Arlene worked as a draftsperson at the US Submarine Base in New London, CT, while her husband was at sea as a Merchant Seaman during World War II. After the war, Arlene was, for a while, the only female draftsperson employed by the Thomas Edison Company in Newark, New Jersey. Ralph and Arlene raised their five children in Westfield, NJ, before moving to their retirement farm in Butternuts, NY, in 1983.
Arlene was also pre-deceased by her oldest son, Jerry Lee Brown, in 2016, her sister-in-law, Ruth E. Brown, a grandson, William Avery Brown, and all but one of her siblings. She is survived by her sister, Louise Ramsey of Hernando Beach, Florida, her sister-in-law, Freda Brown of Scotch Plains, NJ, her daughter-in-law Dottie (Jerry) Brown, of Summerville, GA, a son, Glen Ralph (Marylou) Brown of Butternuts, NY, a daughter, Jane Truitt (Stephen) Seitz of Butternuts, NY, a daughter, Faye Ann (Steven) Hake, of Charles Town, WV, a son, James Reuben (Patrice) Brown of Scotch Plains, NJ, 24 grandchildren, and 41 great-grandchildren.
Arlene was a voracious reader. She created complex cross stitch pictures for each of her 65 grandchildren and great-grandchildren, for whom she ardently prayed, and with many of whom she communicated on Facebook up until a week before her passing.
What is left behind and available to all who met and spent time with Arlene, is the afterimage of a woman of faithful integrity, who knew joy in the sacrifice of self-giving in daily reality. Arlene knew how to do little - and big - things with great love, and she did them for strangers, acquaintances, family and friends. Her energy to love, she would gladly tell you, was drawn from her hope in the eternal, unconditional, self-emptying love of God, manifested to the world through Christ Jesus.
The family will be in attendance to receive friends from 1:30 - 2:30 p.m., Saturday, February 17, at the Bookhout Funeral Home, Oneonta, NY. A memorial service will follow the visitation at 2:30 p.m.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests, for those who so desire, that contributions be made in Arlene’s memory to Catskill Area Hospice and Palliative Care, 297 River Street Service Road, Oneonta, NY, 13820, or online at cahpc.org.
Arrangements are under the care of Bookhout Funeral Home, Oneonta, NY.
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