Belle Wilkinson Brown Obituary (1923

Belle Brown, or Mom, as others affectionately call her, 96, passed away on May 18, 2020 in her home with family and caregivers close by. Mom was born on June 16, 1923 in Lead Hill, Arkansas, the daughter of Jerry and Bertie (Jones) Wilkinson. Belle was raised and lived in Arkansas, graduating from the School of the Ozarks in Missouri in 1942. After graduation she returned to Arkansas and began working at the County Courthouse in Yellville as a Clerk. She met and married James H. Brown in February 1947. They moved to the Yakima Valley, eventually buying a farm in Tieton, settling there to raise their family and grow apples. Mom worked alongside her husband on the farm and in various apple packing sheds. She was a hard worker and instilled in her two children the importance of saving for a rainy day. "Dont buy on credit and pay as you go." Mom loved people and welcomed them into her home, always insisting on fixing a meal for drop ins and never sitting down until everyone was settled. She was an excellent baker- cookies, apple dumplings and her claim to fame, pies- lemon meringue, pecan and of course apple. Belle loved to garden, she worked hard every spring in her strawberry patch, tackling the weeds that always seemed to return. She would pick the berries and save enough to make strawberry jam that her grandchildren loved. Her four grandchildren have memories of going to grandmas after school and walking into the aroma of the "fried pies" she was making in her cast iron skillet. They would stand there waiting for them to come off the stove and sit down at the table to enjoy. Mom always reminded them to "take your time, they are hot." Mom loved to sew and work creatively with her hands. She knitted all the family Christmas stockings that hang with loving memories in their homes every year. She made afghans and baby sweaters for all the new grandchildren and later great grandchildren. She also started making hand sewn lamp shades which graced her home and others. Always at the center of Moms life was Jesus Christ. She shared her beliefs freely and tried to live by the Golden Rule: "Do to others as you would have them do to you", Matthew 7:12. Mom was very self-sacrificing, always thinking of and giving first to others. Her love for our Lord was taught thru the way she lived her life with humbleness, prayer and Bible readings. Mom prayed for her family daily. Gospel music was her favorite music and as she got older and unable to attend church, she took comfort in her favorite hymns. Belle and James (Mom and Dad) had a long life together, 72 years, raising two children on the family farm. Dad preceded Mom in death in May 2019. Mom is preceded in death by her parents and four siblings, her sister, Ruth Hill still resides in Yakima. Mom is survived by her two children, Dorita (Jay) Clemans, Steve (Angie) Brown, grandchildren Danielle (Ben), Cara (Mike), Chad and Brooke; plus great grandchildren, Kailee, Kacee, Colton and Callen and numerous nieces and nephews. The family would like to thank all the special caregivers who provided loving and attentive care for not only Mom over the years but Dad, allowing them to live in their home until they went home to the Lord. A special thanks to Dr. Wadsworth and Memorial Hospice and Home Health for their loving care. Viewing will be on Tuesday, May 26, 2020 from 2:00-6:00pm at Brookside Funeral Home (500 W. Prospect, Moxee, WA 98936) followed by a Graveside Service on Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 11:00am at West Hills Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Hospice and Home Health or a charity of your choosing in care of Brookside Funeral Home (PO Box 1267 Moxee, WA 98936) who is caring for the family. Visitation Brookside Funeral Home and Crematory (Yakima) Tuesday, May 26, 2020 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM 500 W Prospect Moxee, Washington 98936 Graveside Service West Hills Memorial Park Wednesday, May 27, 2020 11:00 AM 11800 Douglas Rd Yakima, Washington 98908