Vernell "Toots" Brown

Funeral Services for Vernell “Toots” Brown will be held on Monday November 20, 2023, at 6:00P.M. from the Chapel of Whitson Funeral Home. Bro. Richard Bond will Officiate at the Service and the family of Whitson Funeral Home will serve as Honorary Pallbearers. The Burial will be at West Cemetery (South).

The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Sunday from 4:00P.M. until 8:00P.M. and on Monday from 9:00A.M. until the time of services at 6:00P.M.

Iva Vernell Brown was born on October 6, 1936, in Putnam County, TN. to the late Wade and Daisy Pendergrass Bray. She passed away on November 16, 2023, at the Cookeville Regional Medical Center surrounded by her loving family.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by, her husband, Clifton Brown, 2 sisters, Dimple Chaffin, and Dean Reed Vest, 2 brothers, J.D. Bray, and Leamon Bray and 2 sister in-laws, Pearl Montgomery and Lorene Robinson.

Her family includes, 2 daughters, Judy Miller (Bob) and Jackie Dyer (Danny), 4 grandchildren, Rob Miller (Kelsy), Amanda Childers  (Steven), Luke Eldridge (Melissa) and Amy Dyer, great grandchildren, Wynn Miller, Ace Miller, Jude Eldridge, Jovi Eldridge, Clint Julian (Britian) and Lexie Capps (T.C.). Great great grandchildren, Axton Julian, Brecken Julian, Bo Capps and Tate Capps. She is also survived by a sister-in-law Ann Hicks and a very special friend Dallas Frazier.

Many other family members also survive.

Nell was the strongest woman you would ever meet. She was known well in this community, not only for her larger-than-life personality, and angelic voice but also for not holding back her opinion and telling it like it is. She was very personable and never met a stranger.

She was born and raised in the Poplar Grove Community. Her claim to fame was being born at Hidden Hollow and keeping their milk and butter in the mouth of the spring creates the falls.

She was a stay-at-home mom when her children were young. She worked from home and helped her husband run a successful business, Brown’s Shuttle Mill in Algood. She would prepare dinner as it was called back then, five days a week for all the work hands from the Mill. She was the best southern cook and was known for her fried potatoes. 

As her children got older, she ventured outside the home for employment. She enjoyed being a cashier at Algood IGA for years until her husband Clifton had a massive stroke, then she became a full time caregiver for 17 years.

Her last adventure in the work force was working as a greeter at Whitson Funeral Home, she was there for several years sharing light and laughter with people during their darkest times. Her advice was to “Die young as late as possible”.

In her spare time she loved to sing, and was in 2 different gospel groups that shared the love of Jesus through out the Upper Cumberland. Before Covid, she was instrumental in starting Saturday night congregational singing at the Algood Cumberland Presbyterian Church. She loved her Church and Church family, to hear her tell it “People would come from far and wide to hear and join in the singing.”

Her girls were happy for her when she found a wonderful man to spend some time with, in her later years, Dallas Frazier, who enjoyed Gospel singing as much as she did. Nell and Dallas never got married because “She didn’t want to have any more children” was her comment. 

The last 2 years of her life, she struggled with the effects of Cancer, but the Dementia was the evil force that got the best of her. Her daughters were determined to give her the best life possible during this time, and they did. Even during the darkest days, there was laughter, love and sometimes tears, but they made it due to the foundation of faith in their Lord Jesus Christ that Vernell had shown them how build and nourish through out her life.

She always said, “You can be a Christian and have fun or God would not have given us a sense of humor.”

We agree Mama, we know you were ready to meet your maker and with that, we can have some peace today and many memories of joy and laughter.

We look forward to seeing you running through the shallow waters reaching for our hands.

Donations can be made to, Algood Cumberland Presbyterian Women and the Cookeville Human Fund.