Rissie Brown, 94, of Kountze, passed on to her Heavenly home on Saturday, February 18, 2006, at the Kountze Nursing Center surrounded by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Rissie Abagail Work was born on February 28, 1911 in the town of Grayburg, Texas, to Lea and Artie Work. Rissie married Roy Burch Brown on November 5, 1932, at the age of 21, in Sour Lake, Texas, and remained married to him for 73 ½ years.
She comes from a strong family lineage, being the last direct descendent to carry the name of Lt. Col. Phillip A. Work, Confederate War Veteran; and Rissie was a proud member of the Confederate Daughters of America, “Sophie Suttonfield Porter” Chapter 22, Order of Confederate Rose. Her favorite hobby, quilting, led her to start several quilting clubs; and she quilted countless quilts for all of her kids, grandkids, great-grandkids, and even her great-great-grandkids. She pieced quilts throughout her life, even into her 94th year, donated quilts for Operation Graduation, and also managed to make quilts to be left for loved ones to come. A very active member of the Kountze Community, she was of the Assembly of God faith and participated in several community-wide arenas. She was an active member of the S.C.A.T. organization, and even became candidate for mayor in 1995 at the age of 84.
Rissie is preceded in death by: her daughter Sarah Abagail “Gail” Brown; grandsons: Michael Roy Johnson and Derrick Riggs Zamazal; granddaughter Johnna Michele Zamazal; and sister Audrey Zell Work.
She is survived by: her husband Roy B. Brown; her two sons: Dr. Lea Brown and wife Ginny of Dallas, and Roy Gene Brown and wife Violet of Kountze; her five daughters: Katy Brown of Lake Jackson; Nora Sturm and husband Bill of Kountze; Jacqueline Bender and husband Alvin of El Campo; Pencie Zamazal and husband John of Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; and Ruth McNeely and husband Milton of Kountze; Eighteen grandchildren; Twenty-eight great-grandchildren, and Two great-great-grandchildren; and Two sisters: Georgia Lea Votaw of Dayton; and Ida Mae Pope of Sour Lake.
Gathering of family and friends will be at Broussard’s Mortuary 530 W. Monroe in Kountze on Tuesday, February 21, from 5 to 9 p.m.
A Celebration of her Life will be at the Little Rock Assembly of God Church on Wednesday, February 22, at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at the Old Hardin Cemetery in Kountze.
“The Wife”, “Mother or Mama”, “Grandma”, “Miss Rissie or Mrs. Brown”, these names by which she has been called by all those who knew and loved her, give reference to how we all will miss her dearly.
Memorial contributions may be made in Rissie’s memory to Little Rock Assembly of God, 5970 Hwy 326 Kountze, TX 77625 or to Old Hardin Cemetery Association, P.O. Box 1464, Kountze, TX 77625.
