Rebecca Danice Brown

Sunrise October 13, 1926 - Sunset December 4, 2018

Rebecca passed away peacefully at her home in Palmdale, CA, surrounded by her family. She was born in Detroit, Michigan. Upon the death of her mother, at the age of 5, she was sent to Texarkana, Arkansas to live with Alma Conway, who lovingly assumed the role of her mother, for life. Rebecca graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in Texarkana in 1944. She married the love of her life, her high school sweetheart, Clarence Brown, on December 30th 1947, shortly after he returned from active duty in Germany in World War II. Soon afterwards Rebecca and Clarence moved to San Francisco, joined Third Baptist Church and started a family. From their union six children were born; Clarretta, Reynard, Lola Nell, Lorelei Peaches, and twins Danice & Dorese.

In 1966, Rebecca decided to finish the education she started at the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, where she attended from 1945 to 1947. She enrolled in Cal State University-Hayward (East Bay) and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education in 1967, and her Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education in 1970.

She began her post-graduate career managing the Child Development Teacher’s Program at City College of San Francisco. Rebecca also trained childcare teachers in the Bayview-Hunters Point District and was the Childcare Site Manager at both Burnett & Bret Harte Elementary Schools in San Francisco.

Rebecca was deeply devoted to bettering the lives of children – her own, and other’s. She stressed the importance of education, self-reliance, and selfdetermination to everyone she met.

Rebecca also loved working with alumni, social and charitable organizations and over the years served in many capacities, including National President, of many including; UAPB Alumni, NANBPW, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority and, most dear to her, Booker T. Washington High School AlumniNorthern California Chapter, of which she was one of the founders.

In 1977, Rebecca traveled to the West African countries of Ghana and Nigeria as part of an Oakland exchange group. Over the years she also journeyed to Greece, Paris, London, Rome & slowly cruised north to soak in the magnificent beauty of Alaska. She also enjoyed bingo, concerts & shows in Las Vegas regularly.

As a devoted Obama supporter, she braved the freezing cold of Washington, D. C. to attend both of his inaugurations, declaring, “I wouldn’t have missed them for the world. We all waited a very long time for this!”

Rebecca was preceded in death by her husband Clarence Brown, her mother Alma Conway, her sister Myrlin White, her oldest child Clarretta and her 1st great-grandchild, Michael Ambers. She leaves behind a host of children, grandchildren, great-grands and loving friends who will miss her dearly. She also leaves a legacy of Love & Faith we all admire and aspire to.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday, December 12th, 11 a.m. at Third Baptist Church in San Francisco, CA. Burial will be at Sylvan Cemetery Citrus Heights, CA, on Thursday. Condolences may be sent to; Mr. Rey Brown 770-19th Street Oakland, CA.