Johnnie Elaine Brown departed this life on Monday, April 3, 2023.  Born February 21, 1939, in Akron, Ohio, she was affectionately known as “Elaine” or Mrs. Brown by family and friends.  She was the eldest of three children born to Johnnie Lee Fann and Eddie Ruth Foster of Marshallville, and Milledgeville, Georgia, respectively.  Her parents moved from the South to settle in Akron, Ohio where Elaine was born and where she and her siblings spent their formative years.  Elaine was a graduate of Akron-Garfield Senior High School and always had a love for children which led to her career as an elementary school educator and Assistant Librarian.  Our mother and father both graduated from Garfield and were high school sweethearts.  They married, each at the tender age of 19, and were together for more than 62 years.

It is so difficult to fully capture the beauty and embodiment of love and sacrifice that describes our mother.  She was adored and honored by all who came to know her.  Anyone who met her would not hesitate to describe her as courageous, funny, sassy, extremely intelligent, and full of exceptional wisdom.  It was most telling that she loved her children so much that she decided to follow them to register and attend college, as a Freshman, at The University of Akron.  During her time at Akron U, she outperformed us academically and set the bar high for us to subsequently strive for educational excellence as we pursued our degrees.  Our mother was the epitome of a role model and an extraordinary, daughter, sister, wife, mother, coworker, and friend.

As a young mother she was initially a stay-at-home mom and served as PTA President at Lincoln Elementary School.  She eventually took on a part-time job, which Daddy didn’t first want for her, but she soon rose to the rank of Manager at Swenson’s Drive-Thru on Hawkins Street, and the extra income seemed to soften his idea of her working.  We would anxiously await her arrival home from work and bring those delicious burgers, fries, and if you were lucky banana or strawberry milkshakes. But Mommy’s love for working which children, particularly special needs kids would win out, leading her to become a paraprofessional with Akron Public Schools.  She worked at Glover, Erie Island, and Steward Elementary schools as well as, a Librarian Assistant at Riedinger Middle School, before retiring, just to name a few of the schools touched by her love and educational influence on children.  She was affectionately known as “Momma Brown” by students throughout the school district, the greater Akron community, and beyond.  She was initially a member of Victory Baptist and then became a long-standing member of Arlington Street Church of God which she attended with her family.

Elaine and her husband James A. Brown Sr, who preceded her in death, had six children.  The eldest was their son James (Jimmy) Allen Brown Jr. who preceded them in death.  The next eldest child is daughter Donna Savage (husband, Brenton) of Columbus, Ohio; Dr. Lisa Brown of San Antonio, TX; Veronica Sims (husband, Quintin) Akron, OH; her youngest son Darrin Brown of Akron, OH; and youngest child Keasha Brown, of Maryland.

Elaine helped instill confidence in her children to succeed or at the very least try their best.  This expectation was a blessing she also passed on to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.    Elaine has always loved The Lord and was the granddaughter of Reverend Paul Roberts Sr. who was a prominent Southern minister with churches in Milledgeville, and Dublin, Georgia.

Johnnie “Elaine” Brown transitioned from this life in peace surrounded by the company of family and those who loved her. She was preceded in death by her parents, Sister Darlene Brown, and brothers Leroy Fann and Posey Foster Jr.  She is also survived by her grandchildren, as well as a host of great-grandchildren, cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.