Ada Bynon Brown

01/17/1918 - 02/11/2012

BROWN,
Ada Bynon (Chase)
(Age 94)

Of Spokane, WA went home to be with her Lord on February 11, 2012. She was born in San Francisco on January 17, 1918 to Frank and Grace Chase. When her father died suddenly in 1927, Ada and her brother George went to live in the San Francisco Protestant Orphanage, affectionately known as "The Home" or "PO". From living there she gained a large extended family with whom she remained close over the years. She first met her husband, George Brown, while both were growing up there. They were married during the war in Brooklyn, New York on April 7, 1943 while George's ship had returned for a brief stay. They were married 53 years when George passed away in 1995. Ada graduated from Girls High in San Francisco in 1935 and then went into the retail business working for Roos Bros both in San Francisco and New York. She took extension classes through UC Berkeley. Additionally, she was a Division Manager for Sears Roebuck until the birth of their daughter Marcia in 1954. In 1958 Ada and George purchased Millbrae Stationers in Millbrae, California where they worked together until 1980 when they sold the business and their home and moved to Spokane to join their daughter who had remained in Spokane after graduating from Whitworth College. While in Millbrae, as a member of the Soroptimist Club, a business women's organization, she joined with a group to start a free clinic for low income minority families in Daly City, CA. She served on the Board of Directors to see it become a full service HMO for local people. Ada always had a huge heart and compassion for those less fortunate than her. Here in Spokane she was known as the "Cookie Lady" for Family Promise, an organization through her church that ministered to homeless families. She was also an active member of the Whitworth University Auxiliary which raised money to maintain the lounges and the pianos in the dormitories. Ada loved to play bridge and played as often as possible with her Friends-Monday Bridge Group and at the Spokane Club. She also loved working in her garden and was a longtime member of the Little Spokane Garden Club. She was also an active member of Whitworth Presbyterian Church. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother and her husband. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law Marcia and Keith Peterson of Spokane, Washington; her granddaughter Sarah Peterson-White of Spokane, Washington; grandson Christopher Peterson of Yakima, Washington; and three great-grandsons Declan, Brady and Adam. Visitation will be from 12:00-5:00pm Thursday and 8:00am-5:00pm Friday at Heritage Funeral Home. A Graveside Service will be held at 10:00am, Saturday, February 18th at Greenwood Memorial Terrace, 211 N Government Way, with a Memorial Service to follow at 11:30 at Whitworth Presbyterian Church, 312 W Hawthorne Rd. There will be a reception following the service at the church. Donations may be made to either Family Promise at Whitworth Presbyterian Church or to the Whitworth Auxiliary of Whitworth University.