Daughter ~ Mother ~ Grandmother ~ Great Grandmother ~ Great-Great Grandmother ~ Sister ~ Aunt and Friend
Dorothy P. Brown was born on March 17, 1931, in Omaha, Nebraska to the union of Julius and Grace Washington. She was one of seven siblings. She attended Omaha public schools, Howard Kennedy Elementary and Technical High School. In her early years she worked at the YMCA in downtown Omaha where she prepared sandwiches.
At the age of 17, Dorothy symbolized her dedication to Jehovah and was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in a horse trough in Iowa. In the early days after moving to Seattle, she attended Central Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, when it was originally located at 901 Broadway on Capitol Hill.
She had a strong belief in Jehovah God’s promises, recorded in the Bible at Revelation 21:3,4: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”
Her favorite cousins were Louray (O’Neal) Roach and Vickie O’Neal. Dorothy would come home from school and go get her baby cousin Louray, whom she adored because of her red hair, and would push her in the stroller up and down 30th St. in Omaha. Many people thought it was her baby.
She left Omaha and moved to Denver, Colorado and later to Seattle, Washington. She said Seattle was one of the prettiest places she had ever lived! In her later years she also lived in Peoria, Arizona.
In 1954 she married William L. Brown and from that union five children were born: Belinda, William, Rodney, Ciantheʹ and James. She was also mother to two of her grandchildren Attiyya and Nyerere whom she helped raise following the death of their mother, Belinda.
In the late 1960’s after the birth of her five children, she attended Seattle Central Community College where she received her GED and graduated with cap and gown. After graduating, she took classes in Early Childhood Education.
She moved with her 5 children to High Point Projects in December 1964; she lived there until May of 1971. She has many fond memories of Highpoint. Everyone helped each other! We were like one big family. Many friends from there turned into lifelong friendships.
Mrs. Brown, as she was known, worked for Seattle Public Schools for 35 1/2 years as a paraprofessional; she retired in 2003 from Highpoint Elementary where she worked for 11 years. She previously worked at Fairmount Park for 20 years, Wilson Middle School and Smitz Park Elementary.
Dorothy had a very generous heart and she loved to help people, especially children and the elderly.
She was an excellent cook and could feed five kids on one chicken breast! Every year she planted a garden with collard greens, zucchini, tomatoes, and other vegetables. The leaves of her collard greens were so large you could make clothes out of them. She was famous for her homemade pickles and jellies!
In the summer she would take her three youngest children on vacation around the United States and Canada on Greyhound to visit family and friends. She loved learning and reading about other places and cultures.
She is survived by her sisters: Joyce Hardy and Bettye Phare. Her four children: William, Rodney, Ciantheʹ and James. Eighteen grandchildren, twenty-one great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren, and a host of cousins, nieces, and close friends.
She was preceded in death by her daughter Belinda “Zenzelle” Roberson and granddaughter Leah Roberson.
Our mother was loved by family, friends, and her spiritual family at the Kingdom Hall. We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you for everyone’s outpouring of love, generosity and kindness shown to her over the years and after her passing.
A special thanks to her grandson Mario and granddaughter Attiyya to whom she was especially close. You went above and beyond to help your grandmother and we’re grateful for your patience, understanding and the love you showed her.
Thank you Styne and Pat Perry and Pam Cremieux for your generosity helping our mother. The meals you prepared, grocery shopping, taking her on outings and most importantly transporting her to and from the Kingdom Hall and Assemblies. All your kindnesses did not go unnoticed by us and especially not by Jehovah.
To learn more about the resurrection and seeing our dead loved ones again, please go to JW.ORG where you can watch a short comforting video “The Resurrection ~ Soon a Reality.”
Condolences can be sent to 126 SW 148th St, Suite C100-295, Seattle, WA 98166.
