Melba Leon Brown

Melba Leon Richardson Brown, age 82, of Sherwood, Ark., passed away October 5, 2014, peacefully surrounded by her family at Little Rock, Ark. She was born on Sept. 7, 1932 in Conway County, Ark.; she was the daughter of Herbert Lemoin Richardson and Opal Helen Townsley Richardson. She was an educator for Pulaski County Special School District for 12 years, in addition to being a pastor's wife at First Free Will Baptist Church in Malvern, and Bethel Free Will Baptist Church at Little Rock, for over 30 years. She also spent time with her husband traveling and building churches across the country. She was a member of Bethel Free Will Baptist Church, and was very active in the Central Association of Free Will Baptist, having served as their former Clerk. Melba also enjoyed cooking, singing, and playing guitar and piano. She is preceded in death by her parents; a sister, Mary Richardson Pledger; and a brother, Donald Edward Richardson. Survivors include her husband of 61 years, Donald Theo Brown; three sons, Donald Ray Brown (Lise) of Palm Harbor, Fla., David Leon Brown (Temisia) of Nashville, Tenn., and Randy Gene Brown (Glenda) of Jacksonville, Ark.; three grandchildren, Meghan Keely Brown of Albuquerque, N.M., Reese Richardson Brown (Charity) of Nashville, Tenn., and Adra McClellan Brown of Nashville, Tenn.; four sisters, Lois Richardson Smith of Grapevine, Texas, Jean Richardson Strickland of Greers Ferry, Ark., Jo Richardson Rowe of Stuttgart, Ark., Paula Richardson Hosto of Ulm, Ark., and one sister-in-law, Vickie Richardson of Pocola, Okla. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., on Tuesday the 7th of October, 2014 at Huson Funeral Home in Sherwood. Burial will follow at 3 p.m. at Reaves Cemetery in New Edinburg, Ark. Visitation will be Tuesday the 7th of October, 2014 from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. at Huson Funeral Home Sherwood. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Free Will Baptist Foundation at 5233 Mt. View Road, Antioch, Tenn. 37013. Sign an online guest book at www.husonfuneralhome.com.