It is with the deepest sorrow the daughters of Rebecca Ann Brown-Smith announce the passing of their beloved mother. On April 19, 2007 she passed peacefully in the home she shared with her husband of 30 years, Bobby Allen Smith. The fifth of eleven children of Daniel Null Brown and Nadine Elizabeth (Yeager) Brown, she was born on January 28th, 1936, in Waurika Oklahoma. During her high school years she developed her love of music and was a member of her high school band and played the French horn.
Rebecca Ann and Bobby Allen married February 14, 1994 and resided in Port Orchard, WA for over 28 years. She was an active member of the Kitsap County Artist Association and under the guidance of her friend Rebecca Schmuck, she wrote the biographies of featured artists and members each week and contributed her own portraits, landscapes and still life in charcoal, water color, crayon and pencil. Some of her oils, acrylics and watercolors are on display in the KCAA Gallery. She loved and admired her fellow artists and friends, Collette Loch and Cathy Schmelzer, without their love and devotion to Rebecca Ann her art work may not have been seen by anyone other than family. She was a devout Christian and proud homemaker, first and foremost.
Rebecca Ann worked at the Kodak manufacturing plant in the San Fernando Valley, CA, a quilting company in Seattle and retired from Champion Lumber in Ballard, Washington. An avid reader and member of the Port Orchard library she often read 5 books or more per week and had written her own family history. She bred and showed champion Collies, one of which was featured In many episodes of the TV show Lassie. As the family historian she maintained a detailed written and photographic history of the Brown and Yeager clans.
Preceded in death by her parents named above, her grandparents Daniel Eugene Brown, Sarah (Miller) Brown, George Washington Yeager (known as GW), Sarah Malley (Hensley) Yeager, siblings Cliffa Jean Brown, Patsy Jean Brown, Dorothy Ruth Brown, Jimmy Wayne Brown, Jerry Null Brown, Marjorie Sue (Brown), her brother-in-law William Dale, daughter Teresa Jayne (Armack) Hazel of Sultan, WA, and granddaughter Tiffanie Ann (Lindquist) Honcoop of Lynnwood, WA. She is survived by her husband Bobby Allen Smith of Port Orchard.
We would like to especially thank Donald Ray Amack and Elizabeth Halliday of Surprise, AZ for their love and support over the years. Donald Ray and Rebecca Ann married May 2, 1952 and together raised six daughters, Susan Elizabeth Cranswick, Everett, WA, Debra Anne Overlin of Seattle, WA, Rebecca Jean Will of Granite Falls, Doni Rae Garcia of Snohomish, WA,, and Marcie Ann Johnson of Port Orchard. Other family members that hold special memories of Rebecca Ann are Daniel Thomas Hazel and Vicky Sutton of Sultan, Nora Jean Smith of Arkansas, Stephanie Lynn and David Underwood of Port Orchard and their children and long time friends Clayton and Irma Wold of Port Orchard. .
Siblings: Truman Brown, Ted Brown, Mary Wightman, Sharon Parker, Halley Brown and all of their families.
Grandchildren: Tristin Gower, Teresa Marie Churchill, Angela Overlin, Jacob Overlin, Rebecca Flanagan, Raven Flanagan, Brandon Webb, Letitia Rice-Norris, Jennifer Ford, and Amber Hazel.
Great Grandchildren: Jessica, Amanda and Courtney Churchill, Nathaniel and Jasmine Overlin, Killian Baker, Skylar and Hayden Kirchner, Caleb Webb, Shayna, Malakai, Aaliya and Jada Ann Rice-Norris, Demetrius Ford, Taylor and Katie Honcoop, Brittany Lindquist, Jawshua and Eliajh Overlin, and many more related by marriage.
The memorial for Rebecca Ann was held May 5, 2007 at the Christ The Rock Community Church in Port Orchard. A donation of her artwork was made to the National Museum of Women Artists at her request. Cremation was also part of her final wishes and her ashes were scattered in her rose gardens at home.
