Verla A. Brown

1927 - 2016

Verla A. Brown Verla A. Brown, 89 of Hilton Head Island, SC died September 27, 2016 on Hilton Head Island, SC from a short illness. Born March 19, 1927 in Davenport Iowa, she was the daughter of the late Henry and Mamie Ehlers. She leaves behind a sister, Katherine Sawyer, and brother, Clark Ehlers. Verla graduated from Drake University with a Bachelors of Fine Arts and was a member of Chi Omega Sorority. After graduation, she participated in stage acting with summer stock theater. In the late '50's, she acted in live television commercials, and continued her stage acting career while teaching art and acting as an adjunct professor at local universities in addition to providing private instruction in those areas. Verla was preceded in death by her husband, William S. Brown, to whom she had been married for 57 years. She was survived by her three sons, Ted Brown and wife Mary, of Lake Bluff IL, David Brown, and wife English, of Bluffton, SC, and Jay Brown of Chicago, IL. She is also survived by six grand children and two great grand children. Verla was an accomplished lecturer and artist for the luxury cruise line industry; she specialized in Destination and Enrichment lectures around the world. Verla was one of few Sumi-e brush painting artists, (a specific style of oriental art) She gave private and small group lessons on that art form in the local Bluffton Hilton Head area. Verla's preferred art medium was Oriental brush painting and watercolors. Her art is shown in many exhibitions and has been added to private collections. Between providing Enrichment, Destination lectures and Oriental Brush Painting workshops on luxury cruise ships since 1982, Verla has lectured for many Fortune 500 corporations and has been a guest lecturer for several universities, highlighting the special significance and impact of history on a global scale. Most recently, she was a lecturer for The University of South Carolina, on the subject of Southeast Asia. Verla provided Enrichment and Destination lectures on 17 World circumnavigations, and nearly 1000 cruises. While she specialized in the Orient, her lectures included the Mediterranean, Baltic, Europe, Caribbean, Africa, Asia and Australia. She completed her last cruise in July of 2015 at the age of 88, where she lectured from Venice to Istanbul. Verla was a loving wife and mother, devoted to her husband and children. The family would like to thank Hospice of the Lowcountry and Fraser Health Center for their dedicated attention and compassion during her illness. In addition to the above, we would like thank the cruise lines of: Cunard, Crystal Cruieses, Royal Viking, Seven Seas, Diamond Raddison, Yachts of Seabourn and Silver Sea for a lifetime of opportunities and experiences. Funeral arrangements are being made by The Island Funeral Home and Crematory, 4 Cardinal Road, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 (843) 681-4400. Services for her funeral and interment will be held 11:00am, Tuesday, October 4th 2016 at Providence Presbyterian Church Chapel , 171 Cordillo Parkway on Hilton Head Island. Reception immediately following the interment at Charlie's L'EtoileVerte, 8 New Orleans Road, Hilton Head Island, SC Appropriately, Verla would say as her final goodbye: "This is my final presentation. As we reflect on our ports of call. I thank you for taking this journey with me."