Mary Ruth Moak Brown went to heaven on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, a few days after she celebrated her 94th birthday with twenty-seven family members.  Born in Blaney, S.C., she was the second of nine children born to the late Leslie and Kate Moak, Mrs. Brown was the wife of Leroy B. Brown for forty-eight years until his death in 1998.

Mrs. Brown was valedictorian of Blaney High School’s graduating class of 1950.  As a wife, she ran the family farm, reared five children, taught Sunday School, played the piano and organ for sixty-five years, and ran the church’s Women’s Auxiliary all while Leroy worked out of town on the railroad.  She sewed her children’s clothes, made the best biscuits ever (which she perfected by making 40 biscuits for the Moak family beginning at age twelve), cut the entire family’s hair, and milked the family cow every morning until the children were grown.  She took her children to church three times a week, wrote gospel songs, arranged music lessons for her children, and instilled in them service to God and to family.  She often held up as an example her favorite Pastor and Shepherd, Rev. George Cashwell whose visitation, prayers and counsel were fondly remembered and cherished.  She sent four of her five children to college and cheered for the Carolina Gamecocks Football team.  She never said a negative word, but she could be counted on to discipline her children if they got out of line.  Until after her 93rd birthday, she lived an amazingly healthy life (with stats better than her children!). 

Mrs. Brown is survived by her five children, Dr. M. Leann Brown, Carroll Brown (Cherrie), Glenna Brown-Kaiser (Tommy), Tim Brown (Susanne), and Mark Brown (Debbie).  Her grandchildren include Joshua Brown, Marianne B. Martin (Brian), Kathryn Price (Gene), Timothy Brown (Liz), Tom Kaiser (Grace), Caroline B-K Collins (John), and Lauren B. Mims (Hunter).  Her great grands, who loved their “Maw Maw” dearly, include Baylor Brown, Ella Kaiser, Kori Brown, Sawyer Mims, and Christian Kaiser.  She is also survived by four of her eight siblings, Nettie M. Campbell (Algie, Jr.), Jeanette “Curl” Anderson, Belva M. Fisher, and Kathy M. Brown (Harold).  She is also survived by twenty-one nieces and nephews on the Moak and Brown sides and her favorite cousin, Carolyn Moak Branham. 

Mrs. Brown is predeceased by her husband, Leroy “L.B.” Bradford Brown, parents John Leslie Moak, Sr. and Kate Kathryn Branham Moak, and siblings Jasper “Jack” Moak, Ruby “Beattie” M. Jeffers, Andrea T. “Hammy” Moak, and John Leslie “Johnny” Moak, Jr.  She is also predeceased by eight nieces and nephews.  

The family would like to thank Your Health Hospice and Home Care providers and caretakers Roslyn Robertson, Jeanae Pough, and Aubree Goff.  The food and cards from family and neighbors were much appreciated as well as the frequent visits, especially by her sisters. 

Mrs. Brown’s graveside service at Highway Pentecostal Holiness Church’s cemetery on Saturday, April 4, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. will be led by Jerry Lee, who served as the last pastor she was able to hear at church and who came to pray with her weekly during her illness.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Women’s Ministries of the Highway P.H. Church (2290 Heath Pond Rd., Elgin, SC 29045). 

In her latter years, Mrs. Brown used the photos in her home to meticulously pray for each of her loved ones every day, sometimes all day, including her siblings and their children.  The last songs she sang on this earth were Dottie’s Rambo’s “The Holy Hills of Heaven Call Me” and “Angel Band,” which she often sang in the night:

Oh, come angel band,

come and around me stand.

Oh, bear me away on your snowy wings

to my immortal home.

Bear me away on your snowy wings

to my immortal home.