L. Edward Brown's Obituary
L. Edward Brown
L. Edward Brown, 97, of Woodville and a Life Long Resident of Rappahannock County, passed away September 29, 2014, surrounded by family and other loved ones.
Edward was born on March 15, 1917, in Sperryville, Virginia, to the late Luther and Nellie Woodard Brown. In addition to his parents Edward was preceded in death by all of his brothers, Robert, Lewis and William, and his three sisters, Sarah Craun, Ann Butler and Mary Allison, as well as his wife Mildred Jenkins Brown with whom he spent 54 wonderful years. They loved to travel in their camper, going from Virginia to California and from Texas to Alaska and all the states in between.
Edward is survived by two daughters; Wendolyn Brock and her husband, Dr. Lee Brock, of Fredericksburg, and Bridget Kosene and her fiance, Kevin Reynolds of Orange, six grandchildren; Kali, Max, Piper, Jacob, Hannah and Zarah, three sisters; Elizabeth Poferl of Baltimore, Catherine Wayland and Aline Johnson, both of Sperryville.
Edward was directly descended from Daniel Brown and his wife Elizabeth Coleman who came up the Rappahannock River from Essex County, Virginia, in 1722 to settle here in the Piedmont. They produced a long line of patriots. Edward's father was a veteran of The Spanish America War having joined when he was 16 years old. His grandfather was with the 6th Virginia Cavalry during The War of Secession. His great grandfather was in the War of 1812, and his great, great grandfather, William Ambrose Brown, was with the Culpeper Minute Men in the American Revolution. Edward was a member of the Masonic Order and received 50 years of recognition this past Spring.
During World War II, Edward and all of his brothers worked at the shipyard at Sparrows Point, Maryland, in the war effort. After the War, Edward was a Senate door keeper before he and his brother Buck operated a successful automobile business in Rappahannock, supplying many young people of the county with their first cars. One gift Edward was given was a talent with his hands. He was able to do outstanding metal work on car bodies while his brother did the mechanical work. Edward subsequently supervised the machinery of the apple juice plant in Sperryville in the 1950's and 60's when apples were the main source of income for many county residents, before working for the US Postal Service from which he retired in 1985. Edward also inherited a talent from his father of working with wood, making furnishings, which he loved to share with his family and friends. Another gift was his courage in overcoming any obstacle life put before him, such as having polio at the age of 3 months, which served as an inspiration to all who knew him.
Funeral services were held on Saturday, October 4, 2014, at 11 am, at Reynolds Baptist Church in Sperryville with Reverends John Heddleston and Jeffery Light officiating. Interment followed at Sperryville cemetery.
Pall bearers named were; John Brown, Michael Brown, Edward Wayland, Gary Wayland, Carson B. Johnson, Jr., Dr.Jay Brock, Joe Hayes, and Henry B. Wood III. Also H.B. Wood II and Raymond Stamps served as honorary pallbearers.
Edward will be greatly missed by his family, friends and the world, as he was a man of fine character, a true Rappahannock gentleman full of genuine love and kindness for whomever he came in contact with.
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