Harvey Brown

Harvey Earl Brown passed away on February 24, 2019.

“Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.” (Deuteronomy 5:16) What better way to describe the life of Harvey Brown. Loved by many, he was a son, brother, husband, father, grandfather and friend to many for almost ten decades.

Born March 31, 1919, he grew up in eastern North Carolina, as the son of a Baptist preacher and attended Wake Forest College before moving to Charlotte, where he met and married his wife, Elvas Almond Brown. Together they raised five children, all born at Presbyterian Hospital, where Elvas had received her education as a Registered Nurse. The five children have given them nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. These three generations remained the love of Harvey’s life through his final days.

Harvey and Elvas moved to Charlotte, NC and became members of First Baptist Church in the 1940s and remained members until their deaths. He served in many capacities within the church including Bible teacher, Sunday School Director, and most significantly as a deacon, serving and showing others how to serve by his example. In his later years, he regularly attended the Southern Baptist Convention annual meetings and he also served on various North Carolina Baptist Convention committees with his friend Walter Mills. As a long-time senior member of First Baptist, he was regarded as a friend and counselor by many of the pastors at First Baptist until his death.

Harvey was predeceased by his wife, Elvas; his parents, Arthur Lewis Brown and Eva Brown; his brother, Arthur, and three sisters, Edith Dail, Lula McKeithan, and Martha Willis. He is survived by his five children, Edith Edney and husband, Larry, Frances Yohman and husband, Ed, Joyce Jolley and husband, Steve, Harvey Brown, Jr. and wife, Carla, and Ruth Brown; nine grandchildren, Richard Edney, Jonathan Edney and wife, Rebecca, Megan Yohman, Ashley Yohman, Stephanie Mitchell and husband, Shaka, Drew Jolley and wife, Meg, Emily Brown, Jeremy Brown and wife, Lauren and Christina Brown; nine great-grandchildren, Benjamin Edney, Matthew Edney, Gabriella Edney, Emma Ruth Mitchell, Hadassah Joy Mitchell, Vera Salem Mitchell, Autumn Brown, Shiloh Brown and August Brown; his sister, Myrtle Watson and brother, Robert (Bob) Brown. He was loved and will be missed by many, many more extended family and friends.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday, March 2, 2019 at First Baptist Church, 301 S. Davidson St. in Charlotte. The family will receive friends following the service at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Arthur Lewis Brown Family Student Aid Fund https://www.sebts.edu/alumni-and-friends/friends/arthur-lewis.aspx . Any checks can be made to Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, 120 S. Wingate St, Wake Forest, NC 27587 and include in the memo line Arthur Lewis Brown Fund.