Virena Odessia

Brown

Mrs. Virena Odessia Harmon Brown was born on June 10, 1924, to the late Oscar M. Harmon and Claudia Roulhac Harmon. She is the second oldest child of eight children. Sister Brown grew up in Washington County, Florida and graduated from the first Black High School which was founded by her grandfather, Thomas Joseph Roulhac. Sister Brown attended Florida Agricultural & Mechanical College in Tallahassee, FL and obtained a teaching certificate. She returned to Washington County where she molded the lives of many students as a teacher. There she met her loving husband Charlie Brown Jr., one of the happiest moments of her life, and to this union thirteen (13) children were born.

Sister Brown was raised in a strong Christian home. She attended and remained a faithful member of St. Joseph African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, where she developed a personal relationship with Christ. She accepted Christ at an early age and was a faithful member of St. Joseph AME Church ever since. She was an affiliate member of both St. Luke AME Church in Vernon, FL and Flipper Chapel AME Church, in Tallahassee, FL where she served as a member of the Lay Organization, and the Beulah Hinton Women's Missionary Society. She raised her children to believe, depend on and trust in the Lord, no matter what the circumstances may be. Her favorite scripture verse was Psalm 23:1, "The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want." She served in the choir as she loved to sing and lift her voice up to the Lord, giving Him praise and honor. Sister Brown was a faithful missionary, who willingly served in any capacity within the church to lift-up the name of the Lord. She ensured that her children and grandchildren attended Sunday school and church at St. Luke AME, even if they had to walk. She was her children's first teacher and taught them the importance of obtaining an education, but more importantly, to pray. As the matriarch, she had an inspirational influence on her entire family, as well as others, by living a life of service and teaching them the importance of having a relationship with the Lord. Sister Brown enjoyed listening to gospel music, studying the Bible, watching basketball, and reading Christian material. She also enjoyed quilting, knitting, gardening, shopping, and spending time with family and friends. Sister Brown was truly the pillar of her family and was respected by all who knew her. She was a woman that was slow to speak with great insight and wisdom that she willingly shared with everyone she encountered.

Sister Brown slept quietly, and her soul took flight early on the evening on Tuesday, December 24, 2024, surrounded by family members. She was preceded in death by her parents, her seven siblings, her husband of 50 plus years, Charlie Brown Jr., her son Charlie Oneal Brown, and her daughter Sylvia Odessia Brown Wright. Sister Brown leaves to cherish her memory: ten children and their spouses, two daughters, Mrs. Margaret Jeanette (George) Duncan of Panama City, FL; Mrs. C. Victoria (Lonnie) Massaline of Orlando, FL; Eight sons, Leonard Napoleon (Annie) Brown; and Thomas Joseph (Gilda) Brown of Tallahassee, FL; John Reginald (Glory B.) Brown and Claude Seth (Lillian) Brown of Crawfordville, FL; Michael Eric (Dearline) Brown; Hubert Ross (Gina) Brown of Tallahassee, FL; Bertram Randal (Sonji) Brown and Patrick Louis (Stephanie) Brown from
Atlanta, GA; two sisters-in-law, Matilda Potter (Goode) Harmon of Tallahassee, FL and Elsie Potter (Oscar) Harmon, of Chipley, FL; 38 grandchildren, over 70 great-grand and great-great grandchildren along with a host of other relatives and friends.