DAPHNE Maud Brown lived a full and exemplary life so when she passed on October 25, 2023, at age 85, her family and friends gathered at New Life Church of God in Orange, New Jersey, on Sunday, November 4 to pay tribute to a woman known as a mother to all and who had a deep and abiding faith in God.

Mother Brown, as she was fondly called, was born on February 20, 1938 in St Catherine to Isaac Anderson and Beryl Noyan. She was the only girl of eight children.

She married Daniel Brown on April 6, 1956 and the union produced five children — Rudolph; Noel; Samuel; Angella, who predeceased her; and Clovis, the current Jamaica Observer cartoonist.

She also adopted a girl, Maureen, and two boys — Selwyn and Tony — and was blessed with many nieces and nephews.

Brown became a member of Spanish Town New Testament Church of God in 1958 and, through her ministry, brought her husband Daniel to the Lord.

She migrated to Canada in the early 1970s and by the mid-70s moved to the United States. Her children and husband followed, first moving to Pennsylvania then ultimately settling in New Jersey, working at Crill Health Agency and becoming a member of New Life Church of God.

At the thanksgiving service for her life Brown was remembered as a disciplinarian.

Patrick Kelsey, who shared in his tribute that he was one of the individuals raised by Brown, said: “You put your foot down to teach right from wrong, to make sure to remind everyone how great God is.”

Added Kelsey: “Mother Brown, I’m so grateful for the way you made everyone feel when they came around. You were never afraid to be mother to all.”

He noted that Brown believed there was good in everyone and said, her “gentle love and kindness will live on in everyone” whose life she touched.