Mrs. WilliMae Wright Brown

Entered into eternal rest on Sunday, August 7, 2016 Mrs. WilliMae Brown. Residence: Georgia (Formerly: The 10 Community of Awendaw). The relatives and friends of Mrs. WilliMae Wright Brown are invited to attend her funeral service, Saturday, August 13, 2016 1:00 PM at Greater Zion AME Church, 4174 Highway 17 N., Awendaw, SC 29429. Interment: Church Cemetery. Viewing for Mrs. Brown is Friday, August 12, 2016 at The Bryan McNeal, Sr. Memorial Chapel, 4129 Highway 17 N., Awendaw, SC 29429 from 3:30 to 7:00 PM. Born August 13, 1949 in Awendaw, SC to John and Estelle Wright. WilliMae accepted Christ at an early age and has always loved her church, Greater Zion AME, Awendaw, SC. She attended Charleston County public schools and was a pioneer in 1965 when she left Laing High School to help integrate the all-white General William Moultrie High School in Mt. Pleasant. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1971 from Bennett College, Greensboro, NC and later earned a Masters equivalent in her chosen field of education. WilliMae worked for Prudential Insurance Company in New Jersey as a computer programmer before returning to SC to teach in the Charleston County public schools. She was joined in holy matrimony on July 7, 1973 to then Air Force Staff Sergeant Marian Brown and left in October for their assignment/honeymoon in San Vito, Italy. From this union, Tracie Renee and Timothy Allen were born. WilliMae loved to travel. As an Air Force wife, WilliMae lived in Florida, Maryland, and Italy. Over the years, she and Marian vacationed in such places as the Poconos, St. Marten, Orlando, Las Vegas, Hawaii (twice), Aruba, and enjoyed two cruises, including an Alaskan cruise in 2014. Wherever she lived, WilliMae joined a local church and served faithfully. She was a member of the Protestant Women of the Chapel (PWOC), Fort Meade, MD; the Gospel Service, San Vito, Italy; the St. John United Methodist Church United Methodist Women (UMW), Baltimore, MD; and the Bibb Mt. Zion Baptist Church Deaconess and Women’s Ministries, Macon, GA WilliMae also loved to solve Sudoku puzzles, play chess with grandson Dominick, and play scrabble with her sisters Yvonne and Alifay. Sometimes the games turned into marathons with numerous bogus word challenges! While overseas, WilliMae taught in the Department of Defense School System (DODSS) in San Vito, Italy and culminated a 30-year teaching career in the Anne Arundel County Public School System in Maryland, where she retired in July 2010 due to her illness. She and Marian subsequently moved to Warner Robins, GA where they have lived for almost six years. WilliMae was a devoted wife and loving mother and grandmother. She was very close to her family. Dominick, Kylie, and Whitney meant the world to her. She loved family gatherings in South Carolina on Thanksgiving and Christmas. WilliMae gave freely from her heart and always looked for the good in others. God created this beautiful angel that everybody loved. Marian affectionately called her the Queen Bee. WilliMae is survived by her loving husband Marian, daughter Tracie Brown Williams of Warner Robins, GA; son Timothy (Sarah) Brown of Silver Spring, MD; her parents, John and Estelle Wright of Awendaw, SC; three sisters, Yvonne (Lionel) Thomas of Mt. Pleasant, SC, Alifay Edwards also of Mt. Pleasant, and Carolyn (Jerome) Bennett of Charleston SC; one brother Thomas Wright, Sr. of Awendaw, SC; one brother-in-law Chris Brown of Charleston, SC; one sister-in-law Darlene Shokes of North Charleston, SC; three grandchildren, Dominick, Kylie, and Whitney Williams of Warner Robins, GA; and a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. WilliMae had a special place in her heart for the other four members of the “Five Famous Flames:” JoAnn Wright, Deborah Brown, who preceded her in death, Lou Ester Pinckney, and Virginia (Virgie) Reid. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7)

Mrs. WilliMae Wright Brown

August 13, 1949 - August 7, 2016