Jerrie (Susie) Brown

Jerrie (Susie) Brown, of Springfield, passed away Sunday at Cox Hospital, in Springfield, Mo., due to ALS. Susie was born on Aug. 19, 1945, to Mrs. Georgia Griffin and Jerrold McGehee, in Nevada, Mo.

After graduating from NHS, she received her BS in Education from MSU (SMS). She was a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority and Sweetheart of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. Following graduation, she married Bill Brown in August 1967. She began teaching immediately in West Fork, Ark., while Bill was in graduate school in Fayetteville. She taught for a total of 10 years at various schools throughout the country, finishing as Department Head-Business Kirkwood High School, St. Louis W. County. She was an adjunct professor at Maryville University in St. Louis W. County after attending graduate school.

As a corporate executive's wife, Susie excelled as organizer, hostess, leader and head of household while Bill would often be out of the country for one month. Susie organized every move to St. Louis (three times), Indianapolis, Kansas City, Chicago, Florence, South Carolina, Houston and Springfield.

Susie's greatest earthly accomplishment was that of simply being Susie. The care and love of life and those around her simply radiated joy for all. She always cared and was more concerned for others than for herself. ALS may have robbed her of speech, food, water, mobility and killed her, but it did not harm her caring heart or smile. Her concern was her husband; not her condition or approaching death. She is now walking and talking again -- except with Jesus in Heaven.

Her survivors are her husband, Bill; daughter, Heather Brown and husband, Hank Segelke, Houston; sisters, Janie Fode of Springfield, Mo., and Jean Ann Conte of Henderson, Nev., and their husbands; and mother-in-law/best friend, Sallie Steve, of Nevada, Mo.

The family would like to express their appreciation to Brian Sommerville, M.D., at Washington University Medical, Bill Duncan, M.D., at Cox Hospital, and the following therapy departments at Cox: physical, speech and respiratory, and the Cox fifth floor ICU. Their care and compassion shall not be forgotten.

Services under Ferry Funeral Home will be at First Baptist Church, in Nevada, on April 14, with visitation at 10 a.m., and services at 11 a.m., by the Rev. Michael Overton, of the First Baptist Church, in Springfield.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the J. Susie Brown ALS Foundation at Ferry Funeral Home, 301 S. Washington, Nevada.

View obituary and send condolences online at www.ferryfuneralhome.com.