BEACON FALLS — Thelma Brown, 85, the widow of Russell E. Brown, who died on April 20, 2013, died Dec. 9, 2016.
Russell was born on Dec. 27, 1930, a son of the late Edson and Daphney (Smith) Brown, and Thelma was born on June 20, 1931, a daughter of the late Howard and Mary (DuBord) Jones, and they lived in Beacon Falls for most of their lives.
Russell worked at the Southbury Inn Restaurant and the Actors Colony Inn, and he retired from Kerite Company, where he worked for 43 years. In the early 1960s, Russell was the first head coach of the Seymour Pop Warner Football League. He spent summers camping with his family and he loved his grandchildren, all holidays, taking videos of Halloween treaters and tag-saleing.
Thelma worked at the footwear division of Uniroyal, Inc., as a CNA and as a housekeeper. After she retired, Thelma and Russell moved to Sumter, S.C., where they resided from 1996 to 2013. After returning to Connecticut, Thelma resided with her son and her daughter-in-law, Kevin and Linda Brown. Thelma enjoyed dancing, listening to music, tag-saleing, camping, bird watching and being with family and friends. Thelma’s sassiness and feistiness will be missed by all who knew and loved her.
Russell and Thelma are survived by their sons, Kevin W. Brown Sr. and his wife, Linda, with whom she resided, and Christopher K. Brown and his wife, Michelle; grandchildren, Kevin Brown Jr., Stacey Brown, Eric Brown, Nicholas Brown, David Brown, Alicia Turner, Michael Brown, Jason Brown and Wayne Brown Jr.; great-grandchildren, Lillian Wrigley, Shawn Wrigley, Joseph Brown, Sean Turner and Alex Turner; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, and her husband, Thelma was predeceased by her daughter, Debra A. Brown; her sons, Russell E. Brown II, Timothy D. Brown and Wayne D. Brown; her brothers, Howard and Raymond; and her sister, Gertrude. Russell was predeceased by his brothers, James, Henry, Raymond, Edson and Stillman; and his sisters, Elizabeth, Florence and Verna.
The Brown family would like to thank the Shady Knoll staff, especially those on the second and third floors, and the VITAS of Middlebury staff.
A Mass of Christian Burial for Thelma Brown will be celebrated on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2016 at 12 p.m. at St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church, 25 Maple Ave., Beacon Falls. Burial will follow in St. James Cemetery, Naugatuck. Family and friends may call on Tuesday from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Buckmiller Thurston Mengacci Funeral Home, 82 Fairview Ave., Naugatuck.
Memorial contributions may be made to Beacon Hose Company No. 1, Main Street, Beacon Falls, CT 06403.
To leave an online condolence, visit www.buckmillerthurstonmengacci.com.
