Obituaries

Shirley Mae Brown

Shirley Mae Brown

Shirley Mae Brown was born in Sanford, Fla., on May 16, 1950, to Annie Mackey and Raleigh McMillon.

On Nov. 12, 2011, surrounded by her family, Shirley received her blessing and went home to dwell in the house of the Lord with our holy father.

Shirley was married to Sonny N. Brown Sr. on December 24, 1968.

Shirley worked proudly for the State of New York as a nurse’s aide for 35 years. For many of those years she also drove a bus for Sunrise Bus Company, getting many of our neighbors’ children to and from school each day, often with a piece of candy or a Garbage Pail Kids trading card in hand.

She will be remembered most for her soft voice and her kindness. She would lend a helping hand to anyone in need and spend much time cooking for all whom she loved, crocheting blankets for newborn babies and putting a smile on the faces of everyone she knew just by offering us one of her own. Her most-remembered words will always be, “Everything will be all right. We’ll get through it.”

Shirley is survived by her parents, Annie Mackey and Raleigh McMillon, both of Florida; her loving husband, Sonny Brown Sr.; and her four children, Sarah Jones (Delifus Jones) of East Islip, Sonny Brown Jr. of East Islip, and Shirell Brown (Mario Montoya) and Reannda McMillon (Marquis Joseph), both of Pittsburgh.

Shirley also leaves behind five siblings, Cynthia McMillon of South Carolina, Mattie Smith, Marie Mackey and Gregory Robinson, all of Tampa, Fla., and Rhonda Robinson of Tampa and Georgia; 11 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and a host of nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life was held November 18 at Clinton Memorial AME Zion Church in Greenport.

This is a paid notice.