Charlie Mae Brown, 84, departed this life to her heavenly home, on Thursday, August 26, 2021 at Silas Creek Rehabilitation Center in Winston-Salem, NC.  She is deeply loved, greatly admired, and caring.

Charlie Mae (Freeland) Brown was born to the late Susie Hunter Gilbeaux and William Freeland in Asheville, NC on October 9, ^, 1936. She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Elliott Brown Jr.  This beautiful, dynamic union lasted for 61 years.

Charlie Mae leaves the following to cherish precious memories daughters, Sonya (William) Mitchell of Charlotte, NC; Erica (Donald) Foster of Knoxville, TN; stepdaughter, Gale (Michael) Fletcher of Baltimore, MD; five grandchildren, Candice (TJ) Jordan, Michael (Angie) Fletcher, Elliott Jay Foster, Alexis Mitchell and Adrianne Mitchell; three siblings of Asheville, NC, James Freeland, Vinnie Gilbeaux, and Delia Gilbeaux;  sisters-in-law, Delores Brown and Dorothy Herron of Los Angeles.  There is a host of loving nieces, nephews and cousins too numerous to name.  But a special thanks to nieces, Afifa and Kadia Gilbeaux; play daughters, Sharon Bishop and Alicia Faye Holman; and neighbor, Lynn Stevenson.

Charlie Mae graduated, with honors, from Stephens Lee High School in 1954.  She matriculated to Winston-Salem in 1956 to attend Kate Bitting Reynolds Memorial School of Nursing; one of the few educational institutions dedicated to training, black nursing students. She dearly loved these schools and consistently and fondly attended their reunions.  Upon graduating Charlie went on to have a 40-year career as a Registered Nurse at Kate Bitting / Reynolds Memorial Hospitals, Forsyth Memorial Hospital, and retired from RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company as a Certified Occupational Health Nurse.

Charlie Mae was a devoted Woman of God and a faithful member for over 60 years of First Waughtown Baptist Church.  She started the intercessory prayer group and her mantra was "Bathe it in Prayer". She served as Sr. Adult Sunday School Teacher, Chair of the Deaconess Board, Chair of Women's Ministry for many years, Senior Retirees, and the October Birthday Group.

Charlie Mae loved butterflies, spending time with family and friends, celebrations, and good food.  She enjoyed traveling to many destinations in the US, Caribbean Islands and South Africa; and seeing where the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans meet. She was beautiful inside and out, stylish, and a life-long learner.  She will be dearly missed.

A viewing will be held from 1:00pm until 6:00pm Friday, September 3, 2021 at  Russell Funeral Home.

Private funeral services will be held at Saturday, September 4, 2021. Interment will follow in Piedmont Memorial Gardens.