Dorothy Schlafly Brown

Dorothy S. Brown, affectionately known as "D.J." or "Mumsy", age 91, passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 1, 2013 at Givens Skilled Care Facility. She was born Dorothy Jane Schlafly in St. Louis, Missouri on January 10, 1922, the daughter of the late James Joseph and Dorothy Jane Schlafly. She graduated from Villa Duchesne High School and then attended Manhattanville Sacred Heart College in New York before marrying Elbert S. Brown, Sr., April 10, 1943. They moved to Sarasota, Florida where they raised six children: Jane B. McNeil, Barbara B. Horton, Elbert S. Brown, Jr. (Buster), James S. Brown, Alanson Brown and Elizabeth A. Brown (Betsy), deceased. She truly was an inspiration and great strength to all of us and everyone she came in contact with. In addition to her parents and Betsy she was preceded in death by her husband, Elbert, a grandson, Gray Horton and twin granddaughters, Teresa Kimberly and Ashley Cameron Brown. Her faith was always so strong and she was a leader in many ways within the Catholic Church. In Sarasota, FL, she helped to start Incarnation School and Cardinal Mooney High School. She was a laity member of the Dominican Sisters at St. Thomas More Church in Sarasota. She was also a very active member of St. Barnabas Church in Arden, NC. D.J. was an avid hockey, tennis and golf player; not to mention her sharp bridge game with great friends in Sarasota and Asheville. They were founding members of the Field Club in Sarasota and members of Biltmore Forest Country Club in Asheville, NC. She and Ebby loved to travel and had many fine trips before he died in October of 2008. D.J. has a wonderful contingency of children, grandchildren and great grandchildren that will miss her dearly: daughter, Jane and Kerney McNeil of Asheville and their two daughters, Peggy McNeil Horner and her husband, Terry and Brigid McNeil Downs and her husband, James; daughter, Barbara and Al Horton of Louisville, KY and their two children, Alanson Boden and her husband, Charles and Dorothy Jane Woodward and her husband, Jackson; son, Buster Brown and his wife, Karen, of Asheville and their three children, Christina Cottingham and her husband, Daniel, Andrea Brown and Ashley Brown; son, James Brown and his wife, Elizabeth Ann, of Charlottesville, VA and their three children, James Tyler Brown and his wife, Jacqueline Marie, Ross Fitzgeorge Brown and his wife, Megan, and Alexander Stegall Brown; and daughter, Mary Alanson Brown of Littleton, CO. Also surviving are 14 great grandchildren, Charlie and Paige Horner; Mary Mac, William and Braxton Downs; Chas and Lila Gray Boden; Doe, Jack, Mae and Gray Woodward; Nora Jane and Joseph Cottingham; and James Edward Brown. The family wishes to express a very sincere thanks to all the devoted caregivers at Givens Skilled Care. They were truly devoted in their care and friendship with D.J. and all the family. A funeral Mass will be concelebrated on Tuesday at 10:00 am at the Basilica of St. Lawrence, D.M. at 97 Haywood Street in downtown Asheville, NC 28801 by the Very Rev. Wilbur N. Thomas VF and the Rev. Adrian Porras. Interment will follow in Calvary Churchyard in Fletcher, NC. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to the Asheville Catholic Charities of Charlotte, 50 Orange Street, Asheville, NC 28801 or Sister of Mercy in the name of Catherine McAuley MERCY Foundation in Asheville, PO Box 16367, Asheville, NC 28816 Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian is assisting the family.