Edna Brown

HERRIN, Ill. -- Edna J. Brown, 85, of Herrin passed away Sunday, Jan. 18, 2015, in Shawnee Christian Nursing Care Center of Herrin.

She was born Dec. 11, 1929, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, daughter of Ralph Rudolph and Jennie Sivec Choun. She attended school in Bridgeport.

Edna met her husband, Walton W. "Bill" Brown, while he was stationed at New London, Connecticut, serving in the United States Navy during World War II. They were married Feb. 8, 1947, in Bridgeport, and they shared more than 50 years of marriage until his death Sept. 19, 1997.

Shortly after their marriage, they moved to Cape Girardeau and lived there until 1960. Then in 1960 the family moved to Herrin and Edna and her husband became owners and operators of The Herrin Pastry Shop and continued the business until 1979.

Edna devoted her life to managing her home and seeing to the needs of her husband and six children. She and her husband raised and educated all of their children in the Catholic church and school.

She was a member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Herrin.

In her spare time she enjoyed spending time in her flower garden and watching the birds. She also enjoyed sewing, baking and cooking, listening to music, especially of the 1940s era, watching trivia game shows, reading poetry, listening to talk radio and spending time with her animals, especially her cats.

Edna also enjoyed and appreciated the many visits from Sister Marciana in her home and during her stay at Shawnee Christian Nursing Care Center.

She is survived by five sons and two daughters-in-law, Walton and Sharon Brown of Gallipolis, Ohio, David G. and Becky Brown of Bicknell, Indiana, Gregory K. Brown of Makanda, Illinois, Christopher Brown and companion Valerie Powell of Johnston City, Illinois, and Bruce Brown and companion Teresa Coleman of Marion, Illinois; and a daughter and son-in-law, Kathy and Travis Thomas of Delaware, Oklahoma.

Also four grandchildren, Amy O'Hagan and husband Kirk of Savannah, Georgia, Misty Lattuada and husband Randy, Danielle Wilkie and Jennifer Brown, all of Herrin; three stepgrandchildren, Jason Cravens and Cody Coleman of Marion and Lindsey Coleman of Hurst, Illinois; eight great-grandchildren; other extended family; and many friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; an infant daughter; a granddaughter, Jamie Sanborn; and a sister, Ruth Laviolette.

Visitation will be from 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday at Wilson-McReynolds Funeral Home in Marion.

The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Ken Schaefer of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church officiating. Interment will be next to her husband in St. Mary's Cemetery in Cape Girardeau at 2 p.m.

Those wishing to attend the graveside committal service should gather at the cemetery prior to 2 p.m.

For those who prefer, memorial contributions may be made to either Our Lady of Mount Carmel School Building Fund or United Cerebral Palsy and mailed in care of Wilson-McReynolds Funeral Home, P.O. Box 370, Marion, IL 62959. Memorial envelopes will be available at the funeral home.

For additional information, to leave a condolence of memory or to light a candle in memory, visit wilsonmcreynolds.com or call the funeral home at 618-993-2131.