[Page Co. History] 'Aunt Allean' Dies At 103
From the Page News and Courier - January, 1963
Mrs. Allean Elizabeth Brown, widow of Andrew Brown, died at 9:50 Friday morning, January 4th, at her home at Parkway, north of Elkton, eleven days before her one hundred and third birthday.
She had been confined to a wheelchair since her ninety-eighth birthday with arthritis. Her, condition became critical about two weeks ago.
“Aunt Allean” as she was affectionately called by her many friends of both races, was born a child of slaves during the Civil War and remembered quite a lot about the Reconstruction period. From her childhood she had heard about slavery and the raging Civil War.
One of her most prized possessions was a small golden locket, found by her father on one of his trips hiding food in the mountains because of enemy troops. She has kept the locket gleaming brightly.
She also had her mother’s iron skillet which was used for baking and cooking over hot coals.
She had lived a quiet life— and a good life. She read a great deal, and her Bible was her constant companion.
She never used or needed eye glasses — even for close work. “Aunt Allean’’ always praised God for His goodness to her. “God has been good to me. I’ve seen entire families pass away.” She was always cheerful and uncomplaining though her suffering was well-nigh unbearable at times.
She loved people, and people loved her. “Love is a great thing” she always said gratefully. “I’ve never asked for help, but it comes from everywhere”.
“Aunt Allean” was lovingly cared for during her declining years by her son, John. She was preceded in death by fourteen children and her husband in 1944.
Born January 15, 1860, she was the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Allen McCarthy. She was a faithful member of the Mt. Zion Baptist Church on Naked Creek.
She is survived ny one daughter, Mrs. Gussie Miller, of Washington, D. C., two sons, Jesse Brown, of Martinsburg, W. Va., and John S. Brown, at home; a sister, Miss Gussie McCarthy now a patient in the Rockingham Memorial Hospital and four grandchildren.
The body was removed from the Warren G. Kyger Funeral Home at 12:30 Monday to the Mt. Zion Baptist Church where a funeral service was conducted by her pastor, the Rev. Daniel Johnson and the Rev. P. W. Fisher.
The Mt. Zion Church choir and the Elkton Church choir was accompanied by Miss Bea Nizer.
Burial took place in the Brown Cemetery near her home. Pallbearers were Silas Toliver, Hayward. Butler, Phil Butler, Joe Bryant, Arnold Davis, and Roy Frye.
SOURCE: Page News and Courier, Volume 51, Number 34, 10 January 1963