Mrs. Carolyn Joyce Sadberry Brown's Obituary
Our loved ones never truly leave us, they live on in the kindness they showed and the love they brought into our lives.
Loving wife of Charles Brown, devoted mother of Daphne Brown Pradia, Pamela Taylor, and Candace Johnson entered into eternal peace on May 17, 2022.
Mrs Brown's family and friends will come to together to celebrate her life Tuesday, May 24th at 10:30 AM at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, 3826 Wheeler Ave. Visitation will be prior to service beginning at 9:00 AM.
For livestream access to her service: https://wheelerbc.org/live-streaming
Carolyn Joyce Sadberry Brown was the sixth of seven children born to Lillie and
Heslip Riley Sadberry on January 8, 1930 in Robertson County, Benchley, Texas.
She accepted Christ at an early age, uniting with Wilson Chapel Baptist Church
under the pastorage of Reverend E. V. Hill. She later united with Wheeler
Avenue Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, where she served as a member of the
Deaconess Board.
Her early education was done at Dorsey Loughridge School, Benchley, Texas. She
graduated from Blackshear High School, Hearne, Texas. She matriculated to
Prairie View A&M College from which she received both the Bachelor of Science
degree and the Master of Arts degree in the field of Home Economics. Her minor
field was in Administration and Supervision. She did further graduate work at the
University of Houston and Colorado A&M University.
Upon graduation she was employed at Dunbar High School, Livingston, Texas;
Prairie View A&M College, Prairie View, Texas; A.M.T. School, Navasota, Texas;
Wharton Training School, Wharton, Texas; Booker T. Washington School, Conroe,
Texas; various schools in the Aldine Independent School District; and Texas A&M
University, College Station, Texas.
She was united in holy matrimony to Charles W. Brown on October 1, 1955. To
this union, three children were born – Daphne Brown Pradia, Pamela J. Taylor,
and Candace L. Johnson. She held memberships in the following organizations:
Lifetime Member of Prairie View A&M University National Alumni Association,
Prairie View A&M Houston Alumni Chapter, Lifetime member Retired Teachers
Association, The National Association of Royalty Owners, Inc., Board Member of
OSR Water Corp., American Brahman Breeders Association, Texas Brahman
Breeders Association, Robertson County Beef Improvement Association, Texas
Southwestern Cattlemen’s Association, Certified F-1 Female Program Association,
Landowners Association of Texas, and Texas Farm Bureau.
In her own words, Carolyn Joyce can be remembered for her administrative,
organizational, and money management skills as well as her frugalness,
refinement, good judgement, and sophistication. She loved to bake, she loved to
make jelly, she loved piano and organ music, and she absolutely loved sports.
She can be remembered in her later years for her diverse interest in working on
improvements in the Benchley Community, such as working with the following
initiatives:
- OSR board to get water in rural areas
- Public Utility Commission for toll free telephone calls in surrounding
towns - County Commissioner of Precinct 2 for improvements on county roads,
911 services, and names for county roads - Union Pacific Oil Company – Oil Leases
- Family Land Heritage Program – Land in Sadberry Family for over 100
years
A crowning accomplishment was the work that she did to preserve the Sadberry
Family Legacy by securing a State of Texas historical landmark for the Wilson
Chapel Cemetery. Carolyn Joyce found great affirmation in this work, as the
origin of the Wilson Chapel Cemetery dates back to the era of Carolyn's
grandparents, John Riley and Alice Sadberry, and to her parents, Heslip and Lillie
Sadberry -- all of whom granted the land for not only the Wilson Chapel
Cemetery, but also the Wilson Chapel Church, and the community school (Mount
Peavy School later known as the Couch School and later renamed the Wilson
Chapel School).
She did a great work, tirelessly, in partnership with her husband Coach Charles
Brown to support many young men in sports over the span from their high school
years through their adult years. She undergirded and honored both her husband
and her many “sons” from the 1950’s through this decade by doing whatever was
necessary, through providing support by taking players home after practice and
through initiating and driving the creation and design of the PVILCA Ring and Ring
Ceremony. Her character and commitment truly shone brightly when, during the
times of segregation when washing machines and buses were not provided for
the football program, she washed the togs and drove players home after practice.
She encouraged and equipped her many “football sons” both as their teacher and
as their loving “football mother”.
Her beauty will be remembered as a sweet, humble, outspoken servant of the
Lord, with a kind and gentle demeanor. Carolyn Joyce’s family was her life, and
she was the life of her family. Carolyn Joyce is survived by her loving and devoted
husband, Charles W. Brown; daughters, Daphne Ann Brown Pradia, Pamela Joy
Brown Taylor, Candace Brown Johnson (Rev. Artis); three grandchildren, Rachel
Antoinette Taylor, Caitlin Madison Johnson, Artis Lee Johnson, III; one brother,
Heslip R. Sadberry; three sisters-in-law, Odessa Taylor, Mary Lois Goodall, Rena
Jewel Rose Giscombe (Reginald); two nephews, Rev. Robert O. Delley and Carl J.
Martin; four nieces, Jacqueline Phillips-Haynes, Secceter Phillips-Jones, Dolores L.
Connor, Carolyn Patricia Connor; four great-nieces, Sharhonda Jones, Tameisha
Haynes, Shawntrese Russell, and Tabitha Delley; one great-nephew, Derek Delley;
and two great-great nieces, Kamille Adams and Kameron Russell, along with
numerous other relatives and friends.
What’s your fondest memory of Carolyn?
What’s a lesson you learned from Carolyn?
Share a story where Carolyn's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Carolyn you’ll never forget.
How did Carolyn make you smile?