Neva B. Brown

Neva Belle Brown was born to Frank and Sadie (Bowman) Stoeber on November 1, 1919 on a farm northeast of Cawker City, Kansas. She lived most of her life on this farm or very close by-the exception was from December, 1940 to May, 1963. Most of those years they lived in Cawker City. In May of 1963 she was once again back on that farm. It was in September, 2001 when she and Garrett moved to Clay Center, Kansas. Her siblings were a sister Myrtle Irene and two brothers Logan LeRoy and Roy Ellis.

Her only formal education was eight years at the one room Cottonwood country school. After that she then worked for area families as help was needed, often when babies were born. She learned lots about each family and how all aspects of housework and chores were done. Her most memorable families were those with little children whom she often referred to as her children. She always had a special touch with little ones.

In the mid 1930's a young man from North Carolina came to visit and stay with his Lowdermilk cousins in the Glen Elder community. He was helping with harvest at Jason and "Aunt" Katie's when Katie had a part of her thumb cut off when the trunk of a car chopped down on it. Help was needed so they went one mile north to the Stoeber farm. It was here Garrett Brown met her love and love blossomed. After 4 years of "courting" they were married on December 4, 1940.

To this union two children were born-Larry Garrett and Doris Irene. When Larry started school they moved into Cawker City because Neva did not drive and there no school buses at that time. In 1963, they moved back to her home place on the farm where the Ball of Twine was started by her dad; she was always amused by the Ball of Twine write-ups. It was at that time she added driving tractors and trucks to her farm chores. She had always milked the cows and had chickens for eggs and eating but now she spent most of her time right beside Garrett doing various farm activities. Though small in stature she helped with the haying and handling those small bales that got smaller as the years went by-down to "Grandma Size". She always got hundreds of chickens each spring for meat and some young hens for eggs. In fact, most of their social life was having friends and neighbors come for cream and eggs.

She did lots and lots of cooking from scratch, seldom buying bread and always having homemade cookies and pies, also homemade angel food cakes from the extra eggs when the pullets started laying. She was still baking bread and pies into her 90's. She kept a diary from her teen years until this past year. She even had Garrett start writing one prior to their marriage. She took over writing for him when he no longer did. They contain lots of information about the weather and family and much needed information on their cattle and crops.

Her hobbies were embroidering on tea towels and pillowcases when she wasn't making quilts. She made quilts by the hundreds and tea towels even more. She always had a quilt in the frames for a few stitches at any short amount of free time. She could really get lots done in the long winter evenings. Later, when her hands no longer cooperated she spent much time on her back porch and waited for special neighbor Leola Nicewander to come over and visit until dark. Leola continued those visits until even after she moved to Country Place Senior Living in December, 2015.

Family and extended family were special to her. She remembered them with cards and letters throughout the years, noting their birthdays from memory each year. She often hosted large family gatherings. She and Garrett were married 68 years. He passed away on December 21, 2008. Others preceding her in death were her brothers Logan and wife Isabell, Roy and wife Opal, brother-in-law Roy Collins; grandson James Garrett and niece Sharon Peterson and baby.

Survivors are son Larry Brown (Nancy), Chicago, IL; daughter Doris Ferguson (Dwight) husband Dwight, Clay Center, KS; sister Myrtle Collins, Pilot Hill, CA; grandchildren Becky (Bryon) Phinney, Bloomington, IL, David (Teresa) Brown, Marion, IN, Joe (Julie) Ferguson, Clay Center, KS, Sara (Nate) Ahlers, Boulder, MT. Great grandchildren are Abby and Nathaniel Phinney, Megan and Ethan Brown; Jacob, Joshua, Jonah and Jase Ferguson, Emma, Garrett, and Grace Ahlers. Also surviving is sister-in-law Evangeline Brown, Asheboro, NC along with numerous nieces, nephews and many relatives and friends.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 A.M. Monday, January 9, 2017 at the McDonald Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Glenwood Cemetery at Glen Elder. Memorials may be given to Meadowlark Hospice or the Clay Center Animal Rescue and Education Center. Visitation will be from 1:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. Sunday with the family present from 2:00 P.M. until 3:30 P.M. at the McDonald Funeral Home.