Marilyn Ross Brown, 96, of Paducah died Thursday, August 23rd, 2018, at Superior Care Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Paducah. She was the youngest of three daughters born to Hardin Ross and Eulah (Wolfe) Ross of Aurora, Kentucky.
In addition to her parents, Marilyn was preceded in death by her husband of
61 years, W.A. Brown Jr. one son, Ronald Stephen Brown, two sisters, Freda Black and Elaine Jones, and one nephew, Paul Ross Jones.
Marilyn is survived by two sons, David (Katherine) Brown of Nicholasville, Kentucky, Dan (Lynn) Brown of Paducah, two grandsons, Nathan (Nicole)Brown of Paducah and Jordan Brown of Louisville: Three granddaughters, Amy Brown (Eric Levy) of Minneapolis, MN, Summere Stewart (Greg) of Lexington and Rebecca Brown of Paducah; 10 great grandchildren Hunter Stewart (Kristian) of Magnolia, NC, Nina and Nora Brown of Paducah, Max and Ollie Harmon of Paducah, Frances, Louise, and Julip Levy of Minneapolis, and Scarlett and Atticus Brown of Louisville.
Other survivors include her niece Phyllis (Fred) Roberts, and nephews Richard (Brenda) Black, Phillip (Beth) Black, and Larry (Lana) Black.
Marilyn was a lifelong member of Union Ridge United Methodist Church in Aurora, just down the road from Aurora School where she was valedictorian of her class in 1940. After high school she met W.A. Brown, Jr. of Hardin. The pre-war months led him to enlist in the Army and when war came along, deployment in the South Pacific with his anti-aircraft unit.
During the war, Marilyn and her sister Elaine attended beauty school in Benton. When W.A. returned from the war they quickly made plans and were married January 6, 1945. The newlyweds went to El Paso, Texas where Marilyn worked as a beautician until W.A. was discharged from the army and the couple returned to Kentucky to set up residence in Paducah.
Marilyn and W.A. raised their three sons in the Cornell neighborhood near Morgan Elementary. Like many families in that neighborhood of the 50s and 60s, the Brown home was home-away-from-home for many neighborhood children.
Together W.A. and Marilyn raised their sons and for six years he managed and Marilyn coordinated and mothered a Khoury League baseball team. Later they put their two oldest sons through college.
Their youngest son, Steve, died in an automobile accident in 1969. Their grief was relieved by lavishing their love and attention on the grandchildren who came in the following years. They also found joy and comfort in camping and formed many great friendships with campers from across America.
W.A. became ill and was housebound for the last years of his life. Marilyn was his staunch advocate, caregiver and very best friend throughout those ten long years. W.A. died shortly after his 89th birthday in 2006.
Marilyn has been a resident of Superior Care for the past two years. The family is thankful for the staff and caregivers.
Visitation will begin at 4:00 pm Sunday, August 26, 2018 at Milner & Orr Funeral Home of Paducah. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am Monday, August 27, 2018, at Milner & Orr Funeral Home in Paducah with Rev. David Garret officiating and burial in Union Ridge Cemetery in Aurora.
Expressions of sympathy may be made to Union Ridge United Methodist Church or the Union Ridge Cemetery Fund, C/o Gerald Jones, 10428 US Highway 68E, Benton, KY 42025.
You may leave the family a message or light a candle at www.milnerandorr.com.
