Claretta Brown

Claretta C. Brown of Waco passed away Saturday, March 10, 2018. Memorial service to be held 11:00 a.m. on Friday March 16, 2018 at First Baptist Church Woodway. Claretta was born July 20, 1934 to Henry Levi Crawford and Clarena Neitch (pronounced kneech) in Quinton Oklahoma. Her father was a World War I veteran and a Methodist circuit riding minister. Her mother was a PRAYING house wife. Claretta came to accept Jesus as her saviour early & learned to rely on God's care. Her father died when she was 14 years old. Claretta and her mother prayed for God's help and he provided a job for Clarena that put a roof over their heads, food on the table & clothes on their backs. These early lessons in relying on God and praying about everything, big or small shaped Claretta into a strong woman of quiet faith. Claretta attended Wesley Hospital School of Nursing and graduated and went to work at the same Hospital as an OB/GYN Nurse in 1955. Claretta was introduced to William G. Brown by their mutual friend, Shirley Shaffer Walker in 1955 and they married September 2, 1956. Two years later (1958) their daughter Cheryl was born, followed 2 years later (1960) by daughter Pamela. They thought their family was complete but began to feel that God had more in store for them. They prayed and in 1965 Michael joined the family in 1965. Bill & Claretta felt that God wanted Claretta to be a full time Mom and not work outside the home. They prayed and God provided. Claretta followed Bill every step of the way through moving every six week while on "Seismic crew" for Chevron and held down the fort when Bill was gone for 3 weeks at a time for Chevron structural geology seminars. She prayed with Bill about changing jobs after 23 years with Chevron to take a teaching position at Baylor University in 1983. And she prayed when Bill had carotid artery surgery and had a stroke. She taught her children to swim, ride bikes how to care for pets, and how to cook on a camp stove. In all the years of kids in school plays and programs she only missed one afternoon program because she had written it down on the calendar for the next day! But most of all she taught her children to pray. Many times her children would come downstairs for breakfast to find her in the chair by the fireplace with her Bible study materials in her lap, talking to God about her coming day asking him to protect her family and draw them close to him. Daughter Cheryl married in 1976 to Jerry Allan Gates and they had 2 sons: Jason Aaron and Jonathan Andrew. Cheryl died in September 1992 and the family prayed that God would provide a new godly loving wife & mother for Allan & the boys. Allan married Pat Philpot, becoming stepfather to Matthew and Alisha. Jason grew up and married Brittany. They have 2 daughters, Hadley and Harper. Jonathan grew up and married Chrissy. Matt married Sarah & had 2 boys, Christian and Isaac while Alisha married Brad Mavis. Daughter Pam was the proverbial boomerang kid that came back after college and never left, which in God's book was a blessing in disguise and her love and care for her parents enabled them to live their lives out in the home they made in Waco their deaths in 2018. Son Michael married Holly O'Quinn and they had 2 daughters: Makenna Katlyn and Braden Hannah. Claretta's life can be summed up in "the effectual fervent pray of a righteous (wo)man avails much" we children have always had an outstanding role model of the importance of payer in the life of a believer. The family invites you to leave a message or memory on our “Tribute Wall” at www.WHBfamily.com