Terri Dee Brown

Teri Dee Gray Brown, 42, passed away at her home 5719 FM 2138 N, South of Jacksonville, Friday  July 11, 2008. Funeral services are scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday, July 17, 2008 at Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church, Maydelle with Rev. Kevin King officiating. Burial will be at West Shady Grove Cemetery, Jacksonville. Services are under the direction of Autry Funeral Home, Jacksonville. She is survived by her husband Stanton M. Brown; her stepson Stanton W. Brown; her parents John and Sandra Gray; her brother John Gray; her sister Wendi Gray Nelson; eight nephews; five nieces; numerous cousins, uncles, aunts and other family members. Mrs. Brown was born Aug. 6, 1965 in James Connally AFB Hospital in Waco where her father was serving an an officer in the United States Air Force. Moving frequently with her family as she grew up, she always considered the family farm South of Jacksonville as her home. She spent most summers growing up there with her grandparents Millard and Anne Croft. She met her husband while living in Moscow, Idaho and attending the University of Idaho. They were married on Dec. 7, 1991 in Garfield, Wash. She has spent the last 15 years living and working in the Jacksonville area and was formerly employed by the Rusk State Hospital until an injury forced an early retirement. She was an active member of Lions International, Rusk club, along with her mother-in-law Mrs. Ardys Brown and her sister-in-law Mrs. Alicia Oliver. Teri held the post of second vice president and recording secretary. She was also an active member of the First Methodist Church of Jacksonville and a former member of the Shady Grove Baptist Church. Additionally she was looking forward to future membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution. Teri spent the last several years in poor health but always retained her cheerful optimism and had a quick smile for everyone, despite often being in significant pain. She carried in her an enormous capacity to love and care for all of those around her. And her kind heart extended beyond her family and friends and often led to a steady stream of stray and hurt animals being cared for by her in her home. The latest of which was a small blind cat named Isis who Teri nursed back to health. She is preceded in death by her grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Millard and Anne Croft, a farmer and teacher in the community, Wilbur and Jenny Gray of Anderson, Ind., and her father-in-law Lt. USN (ret.) Stanton L. Brown also a Lions International Past District Governor and member. Pallbearers will be Michael Woelfer, Jason Branum, Lazaro Gomez, Scott Croft, Kevin Leight and John Gray. Honorary pallbearers will be Keith Croft, Wilbur Stone and Lynn Alexander. The family will receive friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at the funeral home in Jacksonville. Published in the Jacksonville Daily Progress on 7/16/2008.

Published in the Jacksonville Daily Progress