Joan Elizabeth Brown, 86 of Aubrey, TX, died peacefully on Sunday morning February 21 at home her loving family and friends. Joan was born October 2 5, 1934 in Raleigh, NC to Fletcher Elmer and Katherine Elizabeth (Tew) Brown. She married John Wesley Brown on August 19, 1961 in Raleigh. She was a lifelong resident of North Carolina until she moved to Texas in 2017. She graduated from Hugh Morson H i gh School in Rale i gh then went to Junior College at Peace College and then to Meredith College ( Angel Farm) where she received a BA in Education. She taught Public School for over 30 years, primarily at Clarence Poe and J.Y. Joyner elementary schools in Rale i gh. After retirement from Public School she became a pre-school teacher at West Raleigh Presbyterian Church.

When John retired they moved back to the Tew family farm in Linden, NC where Joan was an active member of Sardis Presbyterian Church. In Linden she volunteered to help children learn to read through the Cumberland County School System. She helped through the Linden Women's Association to restore the Linden High School Building so that it could be used as a community center.

Joan was a wonderful cook and was famous for her sourdough bread. She used to make it for communion services at West Rale i gh Presbyterian. She was known for baking fresh loaves and delivering them to many people in the community. A special favorite was her sourdough coffee cake.

As a child and teen she enjoyed going to see the Rale i gh Capitals baseball team play in Devereaux M eadow with her father. She had a lifelong love for baseball and could tell you where the Atlanta Braves were in the standings each year. She also enjoyed seeing the Texas Rangers play. Joan enjoyed camping with her family and traveled from Florida to Canada to the Grand Canyon. When she was in her 70's she camped in New Bern, NC for six successive years to ride her tricycle 60 miles in two days to raise funds for research for MS and those suffering from this devastating disease.

Joan has a beautiful smile and generous heart. She was a social butterfly who loved to talk with others, especially children. She was known for giving children rides in the basket of her 3-wheel bike, laughing and engaging them all the way. She taught her children and grandchildren the love of books, making story time a special memory. She also spoiled them by making special treats like sausage cheese balls, brownies and chocolate oat meal drop cookies.

Joan was preceded in death by her older sister, Anne Brown Holt. Joan is survived by her husband John Brown of Aubrey, TX; her son, Wesley Brown and wife Jillane Brown of Micro, NC; her daughter, Dawn Sadler of Aubrey, TX; her sister, Jean Thompson and husband Russell Thompson of Marietta, GA; her brother-in-law, Vernon Holt of Mendham, NJ. Grandchildren Corey Sadler and wife, Kimberley of Little Rock, AR; Jordan Brown Whitley and husband Will of Selma, NC; Emily Sadler Metcalf and husband Stephen of Frisco, TX and Joshua Brown of Rale i gh, NC.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic a memorial for her older sister, Anne, planned to be in Raleigh has been indefinitely postponed. When "normal" safe travel is resumed this memorial will be scheduled to include remembering Joan.

Instead of flowers, please make memorials for Alzheimer's Research and / or Sardis Presbyterian Church; address - 4654 Linden Road, PO Box 99, Linden, NC 28356.