A memorial service for Mrs. Joyce Ann Brown, age 81, of Carthage, TX will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012, at the First United Methodist Church in Carthage with Rev. Keefe Cropper and Bro. Freddy Mason officiating under the direction of Jimerson-Lipsey Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 2-4 p.m. on Sunday at the funeral home. Mrs. Brown will be interred at Restland Memorial Park near Carthage on Monday morning. She passed away on Friday afternoon, Sept. 28, 2012, at her home in Carthage.

Joyce Ann Hooker Brown was born on Sept. 25, 1931, in Carthage. She was a twirler in the CHS band, graduating with the class of 1950, and was one of the beauties for the Panola County Centennial celebration in 1948. On Dec. 2, 1948, she married the love of her life, Bev, and devoted the rest of her life to providing a loving home for him and their children. The happiest early years were preparing the evening meals for the family to enjoy together, and somehow finding time to help in the family businesses at KGAS Radio and Carthage Cable-Vision, Inc. while still maintaining a beautiful yard of flowers. During their retirement, she especially enjoyed their extensive travels. She was a lifelong member of the First United Methodist Church and enjoyed membership in the Carthage Book Club until her stroke in Aug. of 2005.

Survivors include her loving husband of 63 years, Beverly Eugene Brown; children, Gene Brown and wife Judy of Spring, Ginger McLaughlin and husband Dennis of Carthage, and Gayland Brown and wife Julie of Grand Prairie; grandchildren, Erin and Chad Brown of Austin, Lauren Williams and husband Tommy of El Dorado, Ark., Blair Lamb and husband Lane of Ft. Worth, Mark Patrick McLaughlin of Carthage, Kristen Brown of Grand Prairie, and Dylan Brown of College Station; three great-grandchildren, Braden Mercer and Madisyn and Tucker Williams.

Mrs. Brown's grandsons will serve as pallbearers.

Special friends, in addition to Grady Kyle and her cousin Helen Milam, are Allene Bankhead, Pat Reeves, Nell Bauer, Kathryn Rhodes, Pam Ransom, Barbara Scott and Minnie Lee Bush.

The family would like to express their appreciation to Dr. Keith Keeling, the nurses and aides at Bethany Home Health, and Heart's Way Hospice and especially to her caregivers, Ugala Smith and Melissa Blakeney, for the special care provided Joyce Ann during her seven invalid years.


If desired, memorials may be made to the Carthage Education Foundation, #1 Bulldog Dr., Carthage, TX 75633.

A guestbook may be signed online at www.jimerson-lipsey.com.