Thelma R Brown

Thelma Rae Brown, 88, passed away February 8, 2019. Thelma was born October 11, 1930 to Myrtle and Robert Blocker in Cameron, Texas. One of six children, Thelma was especially close to her sister Artie and her brother Charlie.

Thelma married the love of her life, Eugene Brown, and together they had four children: Larry, Cherry, Carolyn, and Rickey. She spent her days taking care of her husband and children, and was a wonderful grandmother later in life. She loved spending holidays together with the family, especially the fourth of July, Easter, and Christmas. She enjoyed baking bread in her bread machine and going camping at Lake Somerville.

Thelma was a good person who enjoyed life. Affectionately called “Red” due to her red hair, Thelma was quite a jokester. She loved to laugh, sing, and dance. She especially loved country and western music and dancing at the KSJB Hall in Steele Store on the weekends. Losing her sight was a terrible blow to her, and her heart was broken when she lost her baby Rickey Rae. More than anything, she loved attention and having her kids around her all the time. She never displayed a lot of anger, although she did let her son-in-law J.J. know she was upset with him when she threw her shoe at him. Thelma spent her days gardening and was beautiful woman who loved making beautiful quilts. Before she lost her sight, she did lovely embroidery and enjoyed painting. A woman of strong faith, Thelma loved the Bible and belonged to the Church of Christ.

Thelma leaves behind her son and daughter-in-law Larry and Louise Brown and his daughter Melanie Scarpace (husband Jason) and son Ben; her daughter and son-in-law Cherry and JJ Ruffino and their children Toni, Joey, and Luke (and wife Katy with children Mattie and Bella); her daughter Carolyn Ponzio and her children Shannon Alexander (and husband Danny), Shawn Ponzio (and wife Nicole with children Paul, Joseph, and Bryan), Sandy Kaplan (and husband Mark with children Max, Zackary, and Cody); and daughter-in-law Laurie Brown (and her children Dusty and Peyton).Thelma is preceded in death by her beloved husband Eugene Brown, her son Rickey Brown, her brothers James, RL, and Charlie Blocker, and her sisters Artie Edmonds and Annie Mae Blocker.

To honor her life, Thelma’s family has planned a graveside service at 10 AM on Tuesday, February 12, 2019 at Rest-Ever Cemetery in Bryan. In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made in Thelma’s name to Brazos Valley Hospice.