Joan Lee Brown, 82, went home to be with our Lord on February 10, 2018 after a long courageous battle with dementia.
Joan was born on October 27, 1935 in Wickliffe, Ohio to Dorothy (Pessel) and Leon De bolt. Joan graduated from Wickliffe High School in 1953. After high school, she accepted a job at General Electric where she worked until she met the love of her life John (aka Jack) Brown. After marriage she would stay home to take care of her family and worked part time as a caterer for Hough Bakery of Cleveland, OH. In 1986 Joan and Jack moved to Sanford, NC and later to Hampstead, NC and finally Raleigh, NC. Joan was a wonderful loving mother and adored her two daughters. The family would often travel and spend many summers vacationing at a family cabin in Canada. They created many wonderful family memories throughout the years. Joan has one sister, Marilyn F. Smith (De bolt) and (late brother-in-law) Jim Smith. The sisters were extremely close and virtually inseparable all through life. Joan was an artist and her passion was painting. She was an exceptional loving born again Christian who would always put others before herself and always available in other’s time of need. Joan was blessed to be given a large family and many grand- and great-grandchildren who would call her (Nani). She enjoyed having many family get-togethers and cooked deliciously for everyone. She enjoyed doting on the grandchildren and great-grandchildren every chance she had!
Joan is survived by her husband of 62 years John “Jack” Howard Brown, her sister Marilyn (De bolt) Smith of Texas (formerly Wilmington, NC), her two daughters Alison (Brown) Gazso and husband Dennis of Garner, NC and Lynda (Brown) Dean and husband Mark of Raleigh, NC, six grandchildren Mark Dean, Wendy (Brown) Lowe and husband Brian of Fuquay-Varina, NC, Melinda “Mindy” Gazso, Michael Dean, Jonathan Gazso, Daniel Gazso and 12 Great-Grandchildren Christopher Brown and wife Meghan of Knightdale, Kayla Dean, Madison Aycock, Andrew Gazso, Kathryn Gazso, Mekayla “Lizzy” Dean, Carter Aycock, Ashley Gazso, Hannah Green, Zachary Gazso, Zoey Lowe and Sarah Musah.
A special thanks to Sandra Kendrick for her loving support and dedication and making it possible for her to be cared for at home during her final months. A funeral service will be held Friday, February 16, 2018 at 12:00 P.M. in the Montlawn Funeral Home chapel and the Burial will follow in Montlawn Memorial Park. The family will receive friends at the funeral home prior to the service from 11:00 to twelve noon. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the loving people at Transitions Life Care (Hospice) who have done so much for Joan and our family. https://transitionslifecare.org/donate/donate-now/

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