JACKSON — Services for Dr. ReJohnna Bell Risby Brown, of Jackson, who died Friday, Oct. 9, 2009, at Central Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Pearl Street African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Burial will follow at 11:45 a.m. Monday, Oct. 19, 2009, at the Natchez National Cemetery under the direction of Westhaven Funeral Home in Jackson.
Visitation will be from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday at the church.
Dr. Brown was born Sept. 8, 1930, in Adams County, the first child of Mary Brooks and Joseph Risby. She accepted Christ at a very early age and was reared in Zion Chapel African Methodist Church in Natchez. She was a 1948 graduate of Brumfield High School and a 1952 graduate of Alcorn State University with a degree in business education.
ReJohnna united in holy matrimony with William Brown of Hattiesburg. Their 56-year union blessed them with four children, Jannas Etheidra Brown Collins, doctor of dental surgery, Lt. Colonel-U.S. Armed Forces and husband, Rodney; the Rev. William Arthur Brown, doctor of education, assistant professor of education, Jackson State University, and wife, Shirley; ReJohnna Brown Mitchell, Esq., of New Orleans; and Vivian Louise Swain, on-camera meteorologist, The Weather Channel/NBC, Atlanta, and husband, Mark. Their union was also blessed with six grandchildren, ReJohnna Brittney, LeAnna Ashley, William Brisby, Manogin, Mark Anthony and Rachel “Rose.”
Dr. Brown earned her master of science in education degree at the University of Southern Mississippi in early childhood education and doctor of education degree in administration and supervision at Atlanta University. She served for 13 years between Breisch and Greenville High Schools where she taught business education courses. In 1965, she co-authored a proposal for $1.5 million to serve thousands of under-served children and their families for the Washington County Head Start Program based in Leland and Greenville. She served as director of the Leland Head Start Program and education director of the Mid-Delta Education Association. In 1975, she joined the faculty of Jackson State University as assistant professor of elementary and early childhood education. Dr. Brown’s responsibilities included directing the Outreach Education Program in Yazoo City and the Elementary Secondary School Act project that serviced students in Jackson Public Schools. As author of grant applications, Dr. Brown’s efforts resulted in Jackson State University School of Education receiving millions of dollars. Her expertise and services to the university and the profession yielded her being promoted to full tenured professorial rank.
A forerunner in the origination of the Head Start program in Mississippi, Dr. Brown used her experience to direct the Head Start Teacher Education Program at Jackson State in cooperation with the Mississippi Head Start Director’s Association. Her vision was that Head Start personnel engaged in workshops and coursework for academic credit that would be applied toward a bachelor’s or advanced degree. Her efforts to bring the vision to fruition are now recognized in the current reauthorization of today’s National Head Start Program which requires degree credentialed teachers. Also, among her many noteworthy contributions, she authored the curriculum for a program which became the family childcare education degree program, assisting in creating the curriculum for the doctoral program in early childhood education and founding the Lottie T. Thornton Scholarship Foundation.
A resident of Jackson since 1975, ReJohnna joined the Pearl Street African Methodist Episcopal Church where she participated in the choir, the Laura Felts Missionary Society and the Mississippi Education Board. She was a long-time member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority mc, the National Education Association, Mississippi Retired Teachers Association and the Mississippi Association of Educators. She was a founding member of the Mississippi Head Start Association, an active member of the NAACP and a lifetime member of Alcorn State University Alumni Association, Jackson/Hinds Chapter.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and one sister, Jessie Louise Risby Murphy of Chicago.
Dr. Brown leaves to cherish her memories her loving husband; four children; six grandchildren; one brother, Joe Risby and wife, Dorothy, of Chicago; one sister, Willie Louise Singleton and husband, Willie, of San Antonio, Texas; five sisters-in-law, Jannas Shine, Ruth Shackleford and Aithea Jones, all of Chicago, Miriam Jones and Martha Lou Jones, both of Houston, Texas; one brother-in-law, Charles J. Brown of Hattiesburg; a number of nieces and nephews; two goddaughters, Susan McClure Johnson of Austin, Texas and Zenda Adams Barnes of Conyers, Ga.; one godson, Cedrick Shannon of Birmingham, Ala.; and her “special nurse,” Ms. Angelia Seals of Jackson.
Dr. Brown’s memories are etched in the minds and hearts of thousands who knew her. She truly lived her life in accordance with the words of one of her favorite hymns, “Only What You Do For Christ Will Last.” Her legacy of love, compassion and the value of education and professionalism shall live on through the lives of her family, colleagues, friends and students.