OUR MEMO IS CELEBRATING HER 98TH BIRTHDAY IN HEAVEN TODAY

Today we would have been celebrating our Memo's 98th birthday. But she is celebrating in Heaven with Popo and all the saints and angels--now she is celebrating all the time, forever and ever. Memo loved to have her birthday luncheons, dinners and the time with friends or family afterwards. She was a "Georgia born lady" and was given one of those wonderful southern belle names at birth, Eva Belle DuBose. Then she fell in love and married Charles Burrel Brown, Sr., our Popo (He went to be with the Lord in 2005 at age 95). She worked hard all her life, especially as a hairdresser, starting in her late teens and continued until her early 80's, amazing, going to the nursing homes and individual homes to do the hair of ladies who had been her clients through the years. She was so good about this. She was so loyal and faithful to her friends.

Memo loved her precious Lord and always had a one on one conversation with Him. Anytime there would be a situation in the lives of any of our family that looked "impossible", Memo would just say, "we're going to have to talk to the Lord about that". She had an amazing relationship with Jesus and had so many answered prayers because of her strong faith. She and Popo were faithful members of First Baptist Church of Orlando and were so dedicated to their Sunday school class and their friends there.

Memo always enjoyed being with family. Here is our whole family on Christmas eve 2010. She loved her husband, our Popo, and children, Charles and Nancy and I was truly grafted in as a daughter-in-love in 1963, her five grandchildren were her pride and joy and don't get her started on her great-grands--she would brag on them all the time. She was so proud of all of us. She treasured every minute that we were all together.  Family times were such great adventures, whether it be in Orlando, Columbia, SC, at the beach, in the mountains, at Disney World or anywhere we gathered. She loved her family.

Through the years Memo and Popo played shuffleboard, even won many championships in Florida and Ohio. And they played Bridge and other card games for many years together. Actually, Memo played Bridge with her friends the week before she went to be with the Lord, at age 97. She was very competitive, so you didn't want to challenge her to a game of anything, without the chance of getting beat by this determined lady. Her favorite Spades card game partner, here in North Carolina, was Terry Gates, Kara's dad--they always played together and won, when she came to visit. No one could beat these two--they were best buddies.

We celebrated her 97th birthday, November 1, 2011, together at Outback Steakhouse and she loved the big, delicious sundae that the waitress brought as everyone else sang "happy birthday". It was a good memory and a very special evening. Nancy, Charles' sister, and my wonderful sister-in-love had Memo and Popo move from Orlando, into her home and watched over them and blessed them for many years. We could never begin to tell you enough about the love and sacrifice that Nancy gave to them. Along with the rest of the family who cherished and loved her.

 

This is our Memo, holding a picture of our Popo, last year, Christmas 2011. Our whole family gathered, not knowing that it would be our last wonderful, lasting memory with her. On February 05 this year, at age 97 years old, the Lord called her home, quietly and peaceful while in church on that Sunday morning. "Absent from the body is present with the Lord". What an incredible legacy she has left behind--all of us--family and friends. We miss you and love you dearly. All of your family.