Eleanor Randolph Brooks Brown - 1926-2015
As it must come to us all, on July 26, 2015, the end of life came to Eleanor Randolph Brooks Brown, wife of William Knox Brown, M.D., and mother of the late Armstead Brooks Brown, of Polly Randolph Brown Davies, and Philip Minor Brown.
Eleanor came from distinguished ancestry. "Abram The Pilgrim" of the FitzRandolph family sailed to America on The Mayflower. Abram donated land to establish Princeton University, where a memorial gate was built in his honor.
The Randolph family from England settled in the Carolinas. Eleanor was born in Asheville, North Carolina where her grandfather served as mayor and was also editor and owner of the local newspaper. Her mother, Virginia, met a student of the Bingham Military School, William Armstead Brooks, of Forney, Texas. The two fell in love, eloped and returned by train to Armstead's home in Texas. In the early years of their marriage, Armstead worked with his family in the cotton business and banking in Forney. Later, the family moved to Dallas and he became President of the Dallas Cotton Exchange. It was his suggestion to name Dallas' new outdoor stadium the "Cotton Bowl".
Eleanor was elected to the student government all four years she attended Highland Park High School. Upon graduation, she enrolled at Duke University, studying Political Science. For her senior year she was elected Chapter President of Pi Beta Phi sorority. After leaving Duke, she married and Brooks was born. Unfortunately, the marriage did not last and Eleanor returned to her mother's home in Dallas.
A friend of Eleanor's introduced her to Bill, a doctor in his residency at Parkland Hospital. They discovered, among many other common interests, both of their fathers had gone from Texas to The Bingham School. Bill was attracted, not only by her charm and beauty, but by the similar family standards of culture and education they shared. Friendship blossomed into love. Their desire for a happy marriage became assured as the warmth of love developed in Bill for Brooks and in Brooks for Bill.
In January 1952, they were married. Bill, obligated to serve in the military, was assigned to the Army Hospital at Fort Hood, where he lived with his new family. Unexpectedly, in December, he received orders to report to Korea, the same day Polly was born. Bill and Eleanor's daily letters across the Pacific made their love stronger. Eleanor read the letters to Brooks and told sweet infant Polly about her daddy and his love for her. It was clear Polly understood her mother because when he returned home, Bill was the first person she ever kissed.
In 1954, the family moved to Houston where Bill began the practice of Internal Medicine at the Texas Medical Center. They bought a home in the new subdivision of Briargrove and Philip was born in March 1955, the perfect addition to complete their family.
Bill and Eleanor joined the newly formed St. Martin's Episcopal Church at its first home on Post Oak Road. Eleanor was a dedicated servant of the church as a Sunday school teacher for many years, a member of the Altar Guild, and chairman of the Annual Bazaar for several years. In the 1960's Eleanor recognized a need for quiet, supervised space where high school students could study and receive help with homework. She asked St. Martin's to contribute space for the project. When they agreed, she recruited teachers in various subjects to supervise and tutor the students, and began the successful operation of St. Martin's Study Hall.
Needlepoint became a craze at about this same time. Eleanor quickly acquired great skill designing, painting, and working her own canvases. Responding to requests from many friends, she was soon instructing and designing needlepoint for them. Her good friend, Ann Peake, suggested she turn these efforts into a business. With Ann as her partner, Brown-Peake Designs sold needlepoint kits in Houston and across the United States for a number of years.
At her home in Briargrove, Eleanor began her life long love of gardening. Her talents were put to good use working in the gardens at Bayou Bend when she accepted an invitation to join River Oaks Garden Club. When a decision was made to construct a greenhouse at Bayou Bend, the club asked Eleanor to supervise its planning and construction along with the first several years of its operation. She accepted the job with two requisites; first, that her friend Phoebe Welsh serve as co-chairman and second, that she not receive public recognition or be required to present reports at club meetings.
Eleanor was a lady in every sense of the word; from her understated, elegant style to the generous way she gave her time and talent for the benefit of others. She was equally at home in the kitchen - cooking gourmet meals for family and friends, in the fields - wielding a shotgun with dead-eye aim, and in the cool streams of Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming - casting a fly rod with grace and skill.
Traveling with Bill was one Eleanor's great pleasures. It took them many places in the United States, Mexico, Canada and Europe.
With all Eleanor accomplished and all she contributed, nothing was more important to her after her sweetheart, Bill, and her children, than her friends. The love and dedication Bill and Eleanor had for each other never stopped growing, increasing in depth for more than 63 years. In our hearts, she will remain forever and we carry the hope, however vain, that we will meet in heaven.
Her parents, her brother, William Armstead Brooks, III, her son, Brooks, Bill's brother, Henry Trueheart Brown, and Bill's sister, Mary Hill Whitcomb, precede Eleanor in death. In addition to her husband, Bill, daughter, Polly, and son, Philip, she is survived by her son-in-law, William James Davies, Jr., daughters-in-law, Catherine MacWilliam Brown and Melinda Brown. Her grandchildren, Rogers Trueheart Brown and wife Laura of Flagstaff, Stephenson Brooks Brown of Nashville, Ryan Davies Paulson and husband Andrew, William James Davies, III, and Hallie Randolph Davies, also survive her. Five great- grandchildren survive her, as well.
The family wishes to express deep gratitude to Adriana Johnson, Denese Jefferson, Francis Garcia, and Annie Joseph for the help and care they gave Eleanor over the years.
A memorial service will be celebrated at three o'clock in the afternoon on Monday, the 3rd of August, at St. Martin's Episcopal Church, 717 Sage Road in Houston, where The Rev. Chad T. Martin, Associate Rector for Evangelism and Worship, will officiate.
A private burial will be held prior to Monday's service, at Glenwood Cemetery in Houston.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the charity of your choice .
This notice will continue to be available online at www.geohlewis.com.
Published in the Houston Chronicle, August 2, 2015
As it must come to us all, on July 26, 2015, the end of life came to Eleanor Randolph Brooks Brown, wife of William Knox Brown, M.D., and mother of the late Armstead Brooks Brown, of Polly Randolph Brown Davies, and Philip Minor Brown.
Eleanor came from distinguished ancestry. "Abram The Pilgrim" of the FitzRandolph family sailed to America on The Mayflower. Abram donated land to establish Princeton University, where a memorial gate was built in his honor.
The Randolph family from England settled in the Carolinas. Eleanor was born in Asheville, North Carolina where her grandfather served as mayor and was also editor and owner of the local newspaper. Her mother, Virginia, met a student of the Bingham Military School, William Armstead Brooks, of Forney, Texas. The two fell in love, eloped and returned by train to Armstead's home in Texas. In the early years of their marriage, Armstead worked with his family in the cotton business and banking in Forney. Later, the family moved to Dallas and he became President of the Dallas Cotton Exchange. It was his suggestion to name Dallas' new outdoor stadium the "Cotton Bowl".
Eleanor was elected to the student government all four years she attended Highland Park High School. Upon graduation, she enrolled at Duke University, studying Political Science. For her senior year she was elected Chapter President of Pi Beta Phi sorority. After leaving Duke, she married and Brooks was born. Unfortunately, the marriage did not last and Eleanor returned to her mother's home in Dallas.
A friend of Eleanor's introduced her to Bill, a doctor in his residency at Parkland Hospital. They discovered, among many other common interests, both of their fathers had gone from Texas to The Bingham School. Bill was attracted, not only by her charm and beauty, but by the similar family standards of culture and education they shared. Friendship blossomed into love. Their desire for a happy marriage became assured as the warmth of love developed in Bill for Brooks and in Brooks for Bill.
In January 1952, they were married. Bill, obligated to serve in the military, was assigned to the Army Hospital at Fort Hood, where he lived with his new family. Unexpectedly, in December, he received orders to report to Korea, the same day Polly was born. Bill and Eleanor's daily letters across the Pacific made their love stronger. Eleanor read the letters to Brooks and told sweet infant Polly about her daddy and his love for her. It was clear Polly understood her mother because when he returned home, Bill was the first person she ever kissed.
In 1954, the family moved to Houston where Bill began the practice of Internal Medicine at the Texas Medical Center. They bought a home in the new subdivision of Briargrove and Philip was born in March 1955, the perfect addition to complete their family.
Bill and Eleanor joined the newly formed St. Martin's Episcopal Church at its first home on Post Oak Road. Eleanor was a dedicated servant of the church as a Sunday school teacher for many years, a member of the Altar Guild, and chairman of the Annual Bazaar for several years. In the 1960's Eleanor recognized a need for quiet, supervised space where high school students could study and receive help with homework. She asked St. Martin's to contribute space for the project. When they agreed, she recruited teachers in various subjects to supervise and tutor the students, and began the successful operation of St. Martin's Study Hall.
Needlepoint became a craze at about this same time. Eleanor quickly acquired great skill designing, painting, and working her own canvases. Responding to requests from many friends, she was soon instructing and designing needlepoint for them. Her good friend, Ann Peake, suggested she turn these efforts into a business. With Ann as her partner, Brown-Peake Designs sold needlepoint kits in Houston and across the United States for a number of years.
At her home in Briargrove, Eleanor began her life long love of gardening. Her talents were put to good use working in the gardens at Bayou Bend when she accepted an invitation to join River Oaks Garden Club. When a decision was made to construct a greenhouse at Bayou Bend, the club asked Eleanor to supervise its planning and construction along with the first several years of its operation. She accepted the job with two requisites; first, that her friend Phoebe Welsh serve as co-chairman and second, that she not receive public recognition or be required to present reports at club meetings.
Eleanor was a lady in every sense of the word; from her understated, elegant style to the generous way she gave her time and talent for the benefit of others. She was equally at home in the kitchen - cooking gourmet meals for family and friends, in the fields - wielding a shotgun with dead-eye aim, and in the cool streams of Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming - casting a fly rod with grace and skill.
Traveling with Bill was one Eleanor's great pleasures. It took them many places in the United States, Mexico, Canada and Europe.
With all Eleanor accomplished and all she contributed, nothing was more important to her after her sweetheart, Bill, and her children, than her friends. The love and dedication Bill and Eleanor had for each other never stopped growing, increasing in depth for more than 63 years. In our hearts, she will remain forever and we carry the hope, however vain, that we will meet in heaven.
Her parents, her brother, William Armstead Brooks, III, her son, Brooks, Bill's brother, Henry Trueheart Brown, and Bill's sister, Mary Hill Whitcomb, precede Eleanor in death. In addition to her husband, Bill, daughter, Polly, and son, Philip, she is survived by her son-in-law, William James Davies, Jr., daughters-in-law, Catherine MacWilliam Brown and Melinda Brown. Her grandchildren, Rogers Trueheart Brown and wife Laura of Flagstaff, Stephenson Brooks Brown of Nashville, Ryan Davies Paulson and husband Andrew, William James Davies, III, and Hallie Randolph Davies, also survive her. Five great- grandchildren survive her, as well.
The family wishes to express deep gratitude to Adriana Johnson, Denese Jefferson, Francis Garcia, and Annie Joseph for the help and care they gave Eleanor over the years.
A memorial service will be celebrated at three o'clock in the afternoon on Monday, the 3rd of August, at St. Martin's Episcopal Church, 717 Sage Road in Houston, where The Rev. Chad T. Martin, Associate Rector for Evangelism and Worship, will officiate.
A private burial will be held prior to Monday's service, at Glenwood Cemetery in Houston.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the charity of your choice .
This notice will continue to be available online at www.geohlewis.com.
Published in the Houston Chronicle, August 2, 2015
Eleanor Randolph Brooks Brown - 1926-2015
As it must come to us all, on July 26, 2015, the end of life came to Eleanor Randolph Brooks Brown, wife of William Knox Brown, M.D., and mother of the late Armstead Brooks Brown, of Polly Randolph Brown Davies, and Philip Minor Brown.
Eleanor came from distinguished ancestry. "Abram The Pilgrim" of the FitzRandolph family sailed to America on The Mayflower. Abram donated land to establish Princeton University, where a memorial gate was built in his honor.
The Randolph family from England settled in the Carolinas. Eleanor was born in Asheville, North Carolina where her grandfather served as mayor and was also editor and owner of the local newspaper. Her mother, Virginia, met a student of the Bingham Military School, William Armstead Brooks, of Forney, Texas. The two fell in love, eloped and returned by train to Armstead's home in Texas. In the early years of their marriage, Armstead worked with his family in the cotton business and banking in Forney. Later, the family moved to Dallas and he became President of the Dallas Cotton Exchange. It was his suggestion to name Dallas' new outdoor stadium the "Cotton Bowl".
Eleanor was elected to the student government all four years she attended Highland Park High School. Upon graduation, she enrolled at Duke University, studying Political Science. For her senior year she was elected Chapter President of Pi Beta Phi sorority. After leaving Duke, she married and Brooks was born. Unfortunately, the marriage did not last and Eleanor returned to her mother's home in Dallas.
A friend of Eleanor's introduced her to Bill, a doctor in his residency at Parkland Hospital. They discovered, among many other common interests, both of their fathers had gone from Texas to The Bingham School. Bill was attracted, not only by her charm and beauty, but by the similar family standards of culture and education they shared. Friendship blossomed into love. Their desire for a happy marriage became assured as the warmth of love developed in Bill for Brooks and in Brooks for Bill.
In January 1952, they were married. Bill, obligated to serve in the military, was assigned to the Army Hospital at Fort Hood, where he lived with his new family. Unexpectedly, in December, he received orders to report to Korea, the same day Polly was born. Bill and Eleanor's daily letters across the Pacific made their love stronger. Eleanor read the letters to Brooks and told sweet infant Polly about her daddy and his love for her. It was clear Polly understood her mother because when he returned home, Bill was the first person she ever kissed.
In 1954, the family moved to Houston where Bill began the practice of Internal Medicine at the Texas Medical Center. They bought a home in the new subdivision of Briargrove and Philip was born in March 1955, the perfect addition to complete their family.
Bill and Eleanor joined the newly formed St. Martin's Episcopal Church at its first home on Post Oak Road. Eleanor was a dedicated servant of the church as a Sunday school teacher for many years, a member of the Altar Guild, and chairman of the Annual Bazaar for several years. In the 1960's Eleanor recognized a need for quiet, supervised space where high school students could study and receive help with homework. She asked St. Martin's to contribute space for the project. When they agreed, she recruited teachers in various subjects to supervise and tutor the students, and began the successful operation of St. Martin's Study Hall.
Needlepoint became a craze at about this same time. Eleanor quickly acquired great skill designing, painting, and working her own canvases. Responding to requests from many friends, she was soon instructing and designing needlepoint for them. Her good friend, Ann Peake, suggested she turn these efforts into a business. With Ann as her partner, Brown-Peake Designs sold needlepoint kits in Houston and across the United States for a number of years.
At her home in Briargrove, Eleanor began her life long love of gardening. Her talents were put to good use working in the gardens at Bayou Bend when she accepted an invitation to join River Oaks Garden Club. When a decision was made to construct a greenhouse at Bayou Bend, the club asked Eleanor to supervise its planning and construction along with the first several years of its operation. She accepted the job with two requisites; first, that her friend Phoebe Welsh serve as co-chairman and second, that she not receive public recognition or be required to present reports at club meetings.
Eleanor was a lady in every sense of the word; from her understated, elegant style to the generous way she gave her time and talent for the benefit of others. She was equally at home in the kitchen - cooking gourmet meals for family and friends, in the fields - wielding a shotgun with dead-eye aim, and in the cool streams of Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming - casting a fly rod with grace and skill.
Traveling with Bill was one Eleanor's great pleasures. It took them many places in the United States, Mexico, Canada and Europe.
With all Eleanor accomplished and all she contributed, nothing was more important to her after her sweetheart, Bill, and her children, than her friends. The love and dedication Bill and Eleanor had for each other never stopped growing, increasing in depth for more than 63 years. In our hearts, she will remain forever and we carry the hope, however vain, that we will meet in heaven.
Her parents, her brother, William Armstead Brooks, III, her son, Brooks, Bill's brother, Henry Trueheart Brown, and Bill's sister, Mary Hill Whitcomb, precede Eleanor in death. In addition to her husband, Bill, daughter, Polly, and son, Philip, she is survived by her son-in-law, William James Davies, Jr., daughters-in-law, Catherine MacWilliam Brown and Melinda Brown. Her grandchildren, Rogers Trueheart Brown and wife Laura of Flagstaff, Stephenson Brooks Brown of Nashville, Ryan Davies Paulson and husband Andrew, William James Davies, III, and Hallie Randolph Davies, also survive her. Five great- grandchildren survive her, as well.
The family wishes to express deep gratitude to Adriana Johnson, Denese Jefferson, Francis Garcia, and Annie Joseph for the help and care they gave Eleanor over the years.
A memorial service will be celebrated at three o'clock in the afternoon on Monday, the 3rd of August, at St. Martin's Episcopal Church, 717 Sage Road in Houston, where The Rev. Chad T. Martin, Associate Rector for Evangelism and Worship, will officiate.
A private burial will be held prior to Monday's service, at Glenwood Cemetery in Houston.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the charity of your choice .
This notice will continue to be available online at www.geohlewis.com.
Published in the Houston Chronicle, August 2, 2015
As it must come to us all, on July 26, 2015, the end of life came to Eleanor Randolph Brooks Brown, wife of William Knox Brown, M.D., and mother of the late Armstead Brooks Brown, of Polly Randolph Brown Davies, and Philip Minor Brown.
Eleanor came from distinguished ancestry. "Abram The Pilgrim" of the FitzRandolph family sailed to America on The Mayflower. Abram donated land to establish Princeton University, where a memorial gate was built in his honor.
The Randolph family from England settled in the Carolinas. Eleanor was born in Asheville, North Carolina where her grandfather served as mayor and was also editor and owner of the local newspaper. Her mother, Virginia, met a student of the Bingham Military School, William Armstead Brooks, of Forney, Texas. The two fell in love, eloped and returned by train to Armstead's home in Texas. In the early years of their marriage, Armstead worked with his family in the cotton business and banking in Forney. Later, the family moved to Dallas and he became President of the Dallas Cotton Exchange. It was his suggestion to name Dallas' new outdoor stadium the "Cotton Bowl".
Eleanor was elected to the student government all four years she attended Highland Park High School. Upon graduation, she enrolled at Duke University, studying Political Science. For her senior year she was elected Chapter President of Pi Beta Phi sorority. After leaving Duke, she married and Brooks was born. Unfortunately, the marriage did not last and Eleanor returned to her mother's home in Dallas.
A friend of Eleanor's introduced her to Bill, a doctor in his residency at Parkland Hospital. They discovered, among many other common interests, both of their fathers had gone from Texas to The Bingham School. Bill was attracted, not only by her charm and beauty, but by the similar family standards of culture and education they shared. Friendship blossomed into love. Their desire for a happy marriage became assured as the warmth of love developed in Bill for Brooks and in Brooks for Bill.
In January 1952, they were married. Bill, obligated to serve in the military, was assigned to the Army Hospital at Fort Hood, where he lived with his new family. Unexpectedly, in December, he received orders to report to Korea, the same day Polly was born. Bill and Eleanor's daily letters across the Pacific made their love stronger. Eleanor read the letters to Brooks and told sweet infant Polly about her daddy and his love for her. It was clear Polly understood her mother because when he returned home, Bill was the first person she ever kissed.
In 1954, the family moved to Houston where Bill began the practice of Internal Medicine at the Texas Medical Center. They bought a home in the new subdivision of Briargrove and Philip was born in March 1955, the perfect addition to complete their family.
Bill and Eleanor joined the newly formed St. Martin's Episcopal Church at its first home on Post Oak Road. Eleanor was a dedicated servant of the church as a Sunday school teacher for many years, a member of the Altar Guild, and chairman of the Annual Bazaar for several years. In the 1960's Eleanor recognized a need for quiet, supervised space where high school students could study and receive help with homework. She asked St. Martin's to contribute space for the project. When they agreed, she recruited teachers in various subjects to supervise and tutor the students, and began the successful operation of St. Martin's Study Hall.
Needlepoint became a craze at about this same time. Eleanor quickly acquired great skill designing, painting, and working her own canvases. Responding to requests from many friends, she was soon instructing and designing needlepoint for them. Her good friend, Ann Peake, suggested she turn these efforts into a business. With Ann as her partner, Brown-Peake Designs sold needlepoint kits in Houston and across the United States for a number of years.
At her home in Briargrove, Eleanor began her life long love of gardening. Her talents were put to good use working in the gardens at Bayou Bend when she accepted an invitation to join River Oaks Garden Club. When a decision was made to construct a greenhouse at Bayou Bend, the club asked Eleanor to supervise its planning and construction along with the first several years of its operation. She accepted the job with two requisites; first, that her friend Phoebe Welsh serve as co-chairman and second, that she not receive public recognition or be required to present reports at club meetings.
Eleanor was a lady in every sense of the word; from her understated, elegant style to the generous way she gave her time and talent for the benefit of others. She was equally at home in the kitchen - cooking gourmet meals for family and friends, in the fields - wielding a shotgun with dead-eye aim, and in the cool streams of Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming - casting a fly rod with grace and skill.
Traveling with Bill was one Eleanor's great pleasures. It took them many places in the United States, Mexico, Canada and Europe.
With all Eleanor accomplished and all she contributed, nothing was more important to her after her sweetheart, Bill, and her children, than her friends. The love and dedication Bill and Eleanor had for each other never stopped growing, increasing in depth for more than 63 years. In our hearts, she will remain forever and we carry the hope, however vain, that we will meet in heaven.
Her parents, her brother, William Armstead Brooks, III, her son, Brooks, Bill's brother, Henry Trueheart Brown, and Bill's sister, Mary Hill Whitcomb, precede Eleanor in death. In addition to her husband, Bill, daughter, Polly, and son, Philip, she is survived by her son-in-law, William James Davies, Jr., daughters-in-law, Catherine MacWilliam Brown and Melinda Brown. Her grandchildren, Rogers Trueheart Brown and wife Laura of Flagstaff, Stephenson Brooks Brown of Nashville, Ryan Davies Paulson and husband Andrew, William James Davies, III, and Hallie Randolph Davies, also survive her. Five great- grandchildren survive her, as well.
The family wishes to express deep gratitude to Adriana Johnson, Denese Jefferson, Francis Garcia, and Annie Joseph for the help and care they gave Eleanor over the years.
A memorial service will be celebrated at three o'clock in the afternoon on Monday, the 3rd of August, at St. Martin's Episcopal Church, 717 Sage Road in Houston, where The Rev. Chad T. Martin, Associate Rector for Evangelism and Worship, will officiate.
A private burial will be held prior to Monday's service, at Glenwood Cemetery in Houston.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the charity of your choice .
This notice will continue to be available online at www.geohlewis.com.
Published in the Houston Chronicle, August 2, 2015
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
