Dorothy Brooks Brown

Dorothy Brooks Brown, 92, died Monday, June 27, after a short illness. She was the widow of Herman Rosser (Buddy) Brown of Winfall and had made her home at Warm Hearth Village, Blacksburg, for almost 14 years.

She lived most of her adult life on a farm in Winfall in Campbell County. She and her husband ran Brown’s Sawmill for many years, and she also raised cattle. During World War II, she worked as a parachute inspector. Mrs. Brown was a spirited woman and good listener with a great sense of humor.

Mrs. Brown was born in Lynchburg on Aug. 11, 1918, the daughter of Charles and Emma Bell Brooks. It was the time of the Spanish flu epidemic and her family thought she would not survive and bought her a baby dress to be buried in. That was one of the many family stories she passed on. She was predeceased by her siblings, Charles A. Brooks Jr. and Menzia A. Brooks of Lynchburg and Griselda Brooks Elliott of Winfall. She was a member of Winfall Baptist Church where for many years she taught Sunday School, assisted with Vacation Bible School and loved playing the piano.

She is survived by daughters, Deborah L. Brown, Fairlawn, and Sandra Brown Kelly, Roanoke, and family friend Ben Calloway, Roanoke; grandson Capt. Michael A. Kelly (Barbara Kelly) and great-grandson, Joshua Kelly, of Coronado, Calif., and granddaughter Shannon Kelly-Gluckman (Lee Gluckman), Redondo Beach, Calif. In addition, she is survived by two nieces, Jean Angel (Gene) of Gladys and Barbara Lewis (Paul) of Danville and a nephew, Charlie Elliott (Linda Kaye) of Winfall.

In recent years, Mrs. Brown vacationed in southern California, visiting with her grandchildren. Her first trip to California was only the second time she had been on an airplane; her first plane ride was in an open cockpit plane that took off in a pasture in Campbell County. She found first-class air travel much more appealing. She also enjoyed annual Christmas trips to Orlando, Fla., to visit close friend Charles Wood.

Special thanks to Dr. Robert Solomon of Blacksburg and Dr. Kenneth Pendergrast of LewisGale Pulaski Hospital and the staffs at Pulaski Rehabilitation Center and Showalter Center, Warm Hearth Village.

At her request, she will have a simple graveside service at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, June 30, 2011 at Calvary United Methodist Church, Winfall, where she will be laid to rest beside her late husband. Flowers are welcome; she loved them.

Whitten Funeral Homes & Cremation Services, Park Avenue Chapel is serving the family.