Rosemary June Brown

1927 - 2021

Rosemary June (Geyer) Brown was born on June 16, 1927, in Mount Gilead, the fifth of nine children of Henry Clyde "Tommy" Geyer and Imo Lurah Vaughan.

She died at the age of 94 years on September 14, 2021, in Mount Gilead, following a short illness. She was a member of the Mount Gilead HS Class of 1945.

On March 28, 1948, Rosemary was married to William Buford Brown, at Trinity Methodist Church in Mount Gilead by Rev. Eugene Rush. Lifelong residents of Morrow County, Buford and Rosemary operated a dairy and grain farm in Harmony Township from 1948 until 2003. They were faithful members of Harmony Chapel UMC from the time of their marriage.

Rosemary was a dedicated homemaker, farm wife, and mother. She was elected to two terms on the Mount Gilead Schools Board of Education, and she volunteered for many civic, social, church, and youth organizations over the years. She had been a cheerleader in school and enjoyed returning for alumni events. For her grandchildren, she once demonstrated her somersault skills in the living room.

She learned recipes from her mother, mother-in-law, and others, and perfected the "dump and hope" method. She was renowned for her baked goods, such as sweet rolls, pies, and cookies, and she could get a crick in her arm, adding extra sugar to her recipes. Rosemary loved to make things for church bake sales and dinners, and also supported the Morrow County Hospital Twig as a volunteer. She was an avid supporter of performing arts through the schools and through the Morrow Little Theatre.

She loved to mow her lawn, with her bad left leg propped up on a homemade foot peg. She kept a large vegetable garden well into her retirement years, and after gardening became impossible, she could still be seen walking in the lawn with a digging stick to kill dandelions and other weeds. No one remembered birthdays and anniversaries better, or sent more greeting cards near and far.

Rosemary was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; five siblings: Melvin Geyer, Anna Weller, John F. Geyer, Roberta Higgins, and James D. Geyer; one son-in-law, Richard L. Pearce; one grandson-in-law, Scott Morrison; and one former daughter-in-law, Connie Peters Brown. She is survived by three siblings: Martha Kubbs, Bonny Galleher, and Barbara Sutherland; four children: Steven K. (Linda) Brown; Laura Lee Pearce; Lu Ann (Rick) Jones; and Vincent J. (Laura) Brown. Rosemary had nine grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

A graveside service will be held at Rivercliff Cemetery in Mount Gilead on Friday, September 17, 2021, at 1:00 pm. Then on Sunday, September 19, 2021, the family will greet visitors at the Harmony Chapel UMC picnic shelter beginning at 2:00 pm with a memorial service at 3:00 pm. The church address is 3994 County Road 20, Mount Gilead, Ohio 43338, at the intersection of Road 123. Guests are asked to bring chairs, practice social distancing, and wear masks.

The family acknowledges the efforts of Morrow County Hospice and Rosemary's daughter Laura Lee Pearce, who cared for her during her recent illness. In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to Harmony Chapel UMC.

Snyder Funeral Homes of Mount Gilead are honored to have been chosen to serve Rosemary's family and your condolences may be expressed to them by visiting www.SnyderFuneralHomes.com.