Roy Brown, 97, of Kountze, left this earthly home, on Friday, March 10, 2006. Roy passed on to his heavenly home to meet his Lord and Savior, and be reunited with his wife, Rissie Abagail Brown, of 73 years, who has preceded him in death on February 18, 2006
Roy Burch Brown was born on August 30, 1908, in the town of Old Nona, Texas to Gavin and Katie Rayburn Brown. Roy married Rissie Abagail Work on November 5, 1932, at the age of 24, in Sour Lake, Texas, and remained married to her for 73 ½ years.
Roy was first and foremost a man of God, and everyone that met him knew this to be a fact. Roy was a charter member of The First Assembly of God Church in Kountze, Texas, he served as Sunday School Superintendent for over 30 years of The First Assembly, and he helped build the existing church with his money, hands, and many, many prayers and exaltations. Roy was a very upstanding part of the Kountze community. Roy took care of the plumbing and electrical services for many of the community members, whether they be wealthy or indigent. With every job that Roy accomplished, (because he never gave up until the job was completed), he made sure that along with his “Roy Brown engineering” came a healthy dose of blessings and exaltations to God. When asked what would make him happy, he would be very proud, with a smile always on his face to tell you of the many beauties of Christ and his grace and glory, he loved to go to church, even when his body could not take him there. Roy lived, breathed, ate, drank, and slept in God. He truly followed God’s word by rejoicing in everything he did, whether sitting on a church pew, or standing over a backed up sewer with a roto rooter and black rubber gloves.
Roy was a very resourceful man for his family, and had several forms of employment throughout his 97 years. After losing his mother at the tender age of 9 years, he trapped and hunted to help keep food on the table. When he met the love of his life, he had the position of carrying ice to homes and businesses in the area; and throughout the Great Depression, for survival, he cut timber and split logs. Roy went on to work in the oil field for several years, and throughout the raising of his children, he worked at the shipyard until he retired in 1970. He then went on to start a business of plumbing and electrical services until the age of 96.
Roy is preceded in death by: his loving wife of 73 ½ years, Rissie Abagail Brown; his daughter, Sarah Abagail “Gail” Brown; grandsons: Michael Roy Johnson and Derrick Riggs Zamazal; granddaughter Johnna Michele Zamazal; two sisters, Annie Anderson and Mittie Finley; a brother, Rev. Warren Brown; two stepbrothers, R.B. and Cliff Warden; and three stepsisters, Ollie Porter, Annie Rayburn, and Eva Brown.
He is survived by: his two sons, Dr. Lea Brown and wife Ginny of Dallas; and Roy Gene Brown and wife Violet of Kountze. His five daughters: Katie 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; two great-great grandchildren; and one stepbrother, Norman Lea Warden of Tomball.
Gathering of family and friends will be at Broussard’s Mortuary, 530 W. Monroe in Kountze on Saturday, March 11 from 5:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. A celebration of his life will be at the Little Rock Assembly of God Church on Sunday, March 12, 2006 at 2:00 P.M. and Interment will follow at the Old Hardin Cemetery in Kountze. Pallbearers for the carrying of Roy to his place of rest will be Don Brown, John Sturm, Gene Brown, Jr., Chad Zamazal, Milton McNeely Jr., Ricky McNeely, and Timmy McNeely. “Roy”, “Daddy” “Pawpaw”, “Mr. or Bro. Brown”, “Uncle Roy”, these names by which he has been called by those who knew and loved him, give reference to how we will miss him dearly.
