Mrs. Geneva B. Brown

March 26, 2015
Geneva Anita Bland Brown, innovative teacher, principal, administrator and former member of the Board of Education for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school system passed peacefully at home at age 84 on Thursday, March 26, 2015 following an extended illness. She was born April 18, 1930 in Goldsboro, North Carolina to the late Charles and Theresa Bland. She is preceded in death by her husband of 44 years, Wendell Delworth Brown, and two sisters, Rose Marks of Goldsboro and Billie Smith of Los Angeles, California. She had been a resident of Winston-Salem for 63 years and worked in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School System since 1954. She received a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and Master of Science degree in Education at NC A&T State University. She received her certification in Elementary Education at Winston–Salem State University and certification in School Administration from UNC-Greensboro. She studied at UCLA for 6 six years prior to opening Moore Laboratory School in 1971, the first magnet school in Winston-Salem. Early in her career, she taught art and was the coach for girls’ sports in Sampson, NC. She was a teacher at the Woodland Avenue/Brown Elementary School prior to becoming principal at Mebane Elementary School. She was chosen to open Moore Laboratory School, the school system’s first open concept, non-graded multi-age grouping, year round school. She retired from Moore after 19 years and retired from the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School System after serving at the central office for 2 years. She was elected to the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education where she served for 18 years. She served on numerous committees and boards in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree in 2004 from Wake Forest University. In addition to being Principal of the Year, she was recognized for her service on the NC Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. She was a member of First Baptist Church, Highland Avenue, since 1955, serving as a Sunday School and Bible Study teacher, Trustee, Deaconess, and member of the Women’s Service Council. She was a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and was director of the AKA annual golf tournament for 10 years. An avid golfer with 14 trophies, she announced the top 30 golfers in the world at the Master’s Tournament in Augusta for 3 years. She is survived by one daughter, Dr. Wynne R. E. Brown and her partner Kathleen Ann Werner of Clemmons; two grandsons, Jerry Cooper II of Winston-Salem and Wendell Tyler Cooper of New York City; one sister, Harriet Bland Thomas of Pittsburgh; two nieces, Trevonia Brown Gaither of Winston-Salem and Nina Christian of Richmond; best friend Peggy Tesh of Winston-Salem; friend and caretaker Pat Martin of Winston-Salem; other family, including numerous nephews, countless teachers, students and “her community”. Public viewing and visitation will be from 11:00 AM until 2:00 PM at Clark S. Brown and Sons Funeral Home on Saturday March 28, 2015. A private graveside will be held. Memorial Service to celebrate her life will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday, April 25, 2015 at Simon G. Atkins Academic & Technology High School. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be sent to the Original Medicine Institute (note Geneva B. Brown Education Fund) PO Box 658, Clemmons, NC 27012-0658.

For a copy of the Memorial Service program, click here