Barbara Brown

Barbara Brown, formerly of the Bronx, New York, and Palm Bay, Florida, died peacefully in her sleep at Calvary hospital on October 22, 2024.
The sixth of nine children born to David Martin and Merdina Young, Barbara was born on February 29, 1928 in St. Mary, Jamaica, and was proud of her elite status of this 'exclusive club' of once every four years birthday group.
She began her early schooling in her hometown, where she spoke of her wonderful childhood on her father's farm.
It was there that she developed a love for nature, gardening, and the beauty of creation.
Her love for cooking developed very early on in life from her mother, who taught her that a good meal, sitting down together to partake as a family, is the key to developing good family values.
After High school, Barbara moved to Kingston, where she enrolled in a hospitality management program and began overseeing food programs and guest houses for tourists on the Island.
It was in Kingston where she later met the love of her life, the dapper and charming Fitzgerald Brown. They soon got married and from that union, they had four amazing kids.
Yvonne (Gem) George (Billy) Courtney (CB) and Jennifer (Jen). They lived a wonderful life together, but was always looking for any opportunity to rise above,and have their children be successful in life.
In the 1950's Barbara made the decision, along with her siblings to go overseas, half of her siblings moved to London and the other half moved to the US.
It was a great decision, as they all thrived and was able to build their careers, her as hospitality supervisor, and later as a baker and cake decorator, and Fitz as a cable splicer at the telephone company. It also afforded their children a great education and opportunities for success.
Barbara was a voracious reader, who was never without a book, even reading late into the night, but more than that, she was a faithful Christian whose lifelong goal was to be sure that her children understood how much they were loved by God and to live their lives as such.
She is predeceased by her husband, Fitz and her daughter Gem.
Barbara is survived by her siblings, Daphne and Dudley of London England, children Billy, CB and Jen. Nine grandchildren, Jason, Geoffrey, Nicole-Renee (Steve), Georgette, Billie, Courtney Jr., Turay, (Mee-Ying), Asia (Tyreis) and Shari (Tariq). Fourteen great grandchildren, and two great great grandchildren, along with her many nieces, nephews and friends.
In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to the American Heart Association. http://heart.org
Calling Hours: 4 to 7 pm, Tuesday, October 29, 2024
Service: 10 am, Wednesday, October 30, 2024 at All Saints Church, Harrison, NY
In Lieu of Flowers: Donations in her memory can be made to the American Heart Association.