Obituary of Nellie Ethel Brown

Nellie Ethel Brown - A lifetime commitment to Jesus and of sharing Love and Knowledge with children. Nellie Ethel Brown, age 91, of Las Vegas, went home Wednesday morning, March 13, 2013. At the time of her passing Nellie was in Spring Valley Hospital of Las Vegas, NV being treated for a serious illness and the complications from a related infection. Nellie was born April 19, 1921 in Phoenix, AZ to the late Ralph Lamar and the late Leona May (Perkins) Harpe. After her father's passing due to an unexpected work accident, Nellie's mother, Leona, brought Nellie's brother, Richard (passed away in combat during WW II), and sister, Ruth (passed) along with Nellie back to the family home area of Ash Grove, Missouri where Nellie grew up and graduated from Ash Grove High School. Nellie attended college in Springfield, Missouri and started her long career as a teacher. She took time away from her career to serve in the Marine Corps, stationed in Washington DC during World War II. After her medical discharge from the Marine Corps, Nellie married the late Ronald James Cline and returned to her teaching career, taking time off some years later to start a family. As a teacher for over 40 years Nellie taught and guided young people in the communities of Kelly, MO; Carthage, MO; Littleton, CO; Clovis, CA; Willard, MO; and Las Cruces, NM. Her first teaching job was in a one room school house in Kelly, MO, but most of her career was spent teaching the primary grades, mostly 1st grade. Nellie retired from her career in Las Cruces, NM. Nellie was also married to Fredrick L. Mayers (US Army veteran - WW II), and Rev. George Brown, (Pastor FCC) both of whom preceded her in their passing. Also preceding Nellie in passing were her two lifelong friends and companions from childhood to beyond retirement as teachers, Doris Wheatly and Virginia Johnston. Both also originally came from Ash Grove, MO and retired from teaching in Las Cruces, NM Nellie was a lifelong member of the Disciples of Christ (Christian Church) and held her faith as the most important guiding part of her life. Nellie was baptized and joined the First Christian Church of Ash Grove as a child. Nellie became a deacon in the First Christian Church in Las Cruces, NM and served in leadership positions in several other churches. Even during the worst illness and pain of her final days, Nellie never let her faith waiver. Nellie was also a lifetime member of the National Education Association (NEA), and the honorary international women educator's organization, Alpha Delta Kappa (ADK) in the Fidelis Gamma chapter of Las Cruces, NM. She worked, even after retiring from the classroom, to improve education for students and for improvements of teacher's benefits. Included in her passion was improvement to classroom size, student standardized testing, and improved education in the humanities and arts. Nellie also successfully worked for improvement of teacher's retirement benefits in the state of New Mexico. Nellie is survived by her sons and their spouses; James Richard Mayers (Jonathan Ha), Jeffrey David Mayers (Kathy Mayers) and Jonathan Daniel Mayers (Traci Mayers); her grandchildren James Edward Mayers, Michael Mayers, Jonathan Mayers and Katie Mayers; great grandson Jude Wayne Mayers; nieces Lenelle Davis and Luann Linnebur; nephew Philip Davis and their families. Memorial services and internment of Nellie's ashes will be at her church home, the First Christian Church, 1211 Hull Road, Ruidoso, NM on June 29, 2013 at 10:00 AM. A memorial fund will be set up to benefit education for any memory gifts in Nellie's memory and honor in lieu of flowers or food gifts.