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Nell Mae Brown
November 22nd, 1924 - August 16th, 2022
November 22nd, 1924 - August 16th, 2022
Our dear, sweet mother, Nellie Mae Brown (nee Dickson) passed away in the early morning hours of August 16, 2022 at the age of 97. She died of a stroke after years of battling Alzheimers.
Nell (as she emphatically preferred to be called) was born November 22, 1924 in Eureka, CA to Edith (nee Montgomery) and Ernest Dickson. She attended Humboldt State College from 1943-44 before transferring to U.C. Berkeley where she graduated in 1946.
Nell married Darrel Brown of Eureka in 1948 and together they had four children; Donna, Laurie (Kent Odell), and Alan Brown and Julie (Michael) Lushington. They lived in South San Francisco, CA for about ten years where Nell volunteered for the P.T.A, the Girl Scouts, and the Dick Ford Dance School while raising her children. The family moved to San Mateo in 1964 and Nell continued to live there, in the Highlands, for the rest of her life.
Nell returned to school in 1961 to pursue a teaching credential from San Francisco State, and in the mid-sixties started teaching in the San Mateo Elementary School District. She spent decades teaching thousands of first graders to read as well as other elementary grades.
Mom loved the arts, the redwoods, and people. She passed on her love of the arts to her children who pursued dance, theatre, music, and painting- either in their professional work or as hobbies. Her love of the redwoods was passed through her children to her seven grandchildren; Jason, Jeremy and Rebecca Mejia, Ashley and Nicole Odell, and Caitlin and Garrett Lushington. It will undoubtedly trickle down to her great grandchildren Ryan, Aiden and Dylan Mejia. Her love of humanity was passed on to unlimited numbers of people who benefited from her listening and understanding, her sympathy, her healing, and her enormous heart. All of her extended family know the love she held for them, but even strangers could feel this empathy she carried. People in line at the grocery store would talk to her, tell their stories to her, expose their concerns to her, instinctively knowing that she would listen without judgment. It was amazing to behold. Innumerable children were blessed by her teaching skills and demonstrations of love and care that she modeled every school day. Just recently, Mom was out for a stroll with her caretaker when a lady passing by her asked "Mrs. Brown?" Turns out Mom was her first-grade teacher and she announced to us that Mom "was the best teacher she ever had!"
Nell’s legacy lies in the simple, yet profound, lights of love that she spread all around her. She is deeply missed.
The family would like to express its deep gratitude to Mom’s caregiver, Tai, and to the dedicated professionals in Hospice.
In lieu of flowers, Mom would have appreciated a contribution to the "Save the Redwoods League". Include her name and address when filling in the information: Click on "In memory of" Nell Mae Brown (nee Dickson). c/o Donna Brown at 1415 Lexington Ave., San Mateo, CA 94402.
Tributes
Share a favorite memory, send condolences, and honor Nell’s life with a heartfelt message.
Michael G Lushington
The idea of Joy in Buddhism is considered to be an immeasurable or limitless, Meaning, simply, once you find it, you can’t, or don’t, run out of it. Sometimes joy is considered in contrast to happiness, Which is thought of as an emotion and has causes that come and go. But once you have joy, you’ve got it for good. This is how I think about Nell. For me, she will always be about, The willful generation of joy. This idea came to me slowly over a number of years, First, when I heard her kids talk about her, They always spoke about her as “Nell”. As in, “Has he met Nell yet?” It wasn’t “mom”, it was “Nell”. As if “Nell” was a force, a substance, something to be experienced. I first got to know Nell at Sunnybrae. And there, among the redwoods by the eel river It became clear, What everyone was talking about. I’ve heard people say that being around an enlightened being, Can literally infect you with joy, if you let them. I’ve also heard people say that, Living with an enlightened being, Can be maddening at times because while you see a world that is broken and beyond repair, All they can do is smile and laugh and get on with whatever needs to be done next. Like Yoda. Of course, she was not always this way, And sometimes, I would think, she does not even possibly see me or even know who I really am. One time, at a gathering of family, some of whom I did not know as well as I do now, She somehow found me introverting my way into a corner of the room, And brought me over and introduced me to a close friend of the family, “This is Michael, he practices karate, he moves like a cat” This was stunning, not because she noticed me practicing karate in her back yard Or thought I moved well (which I don’t, especially these days) But because this “gathering” was the reception for her husband’s wake. For her, there was no other way thru all the sadness then to pull everyone close, Remind them of who they were, cheer them up and keep going. We are all so lucky to have known her and been around her for so much time. But, of course, she left us with a job to do. Pick ourselves up, remember what we’re here to do, stay close and keep going. Because tomorrow the sun will come up, shining bright and we all better be ready to sing.
Steph Nesbitt
When we moved in just a couple of doors down from your house on Lexington, I felt welcome and warmth from both Nell and Darrel. One of my first memories was of your family first enjoying and then dealing with a young raccoon, Calvert I think his name was. I think fondly of several slumber parties and the quija board by the light of the oven. Nell and Darrell were anchors for me for awhile there. Special people.
Michael G Lushington
We will miss you Nell. Lots of love!!
Kerry Odell
I never saw Nell without a smile on her face. She was just a tiny bundle of joy. My mother and Nell would get together for crab sandwiches; I hope they have reconnected in Heaven and are sitting down for lunch.
Donna
The tide recedes but leaves behind bright seashells on the sand, The sun goes down, but gentle warmth still lingers on the land, The music stops, and yet it echoes on in sweet refrains... For every joy that passes, something beautiful remains. Anonymous
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