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After years of regret over not going to my grandfather's funeral (I had a hundred good and real reasons that made it just impossible, but I know I let our extended family down, and that has killed me!), I am going to this one.

I am so thankful for Matt's support in making this possible, in advance for the help I know Gail and Rick and Carol and Emily and Julie and Gertha and Micheline will be, and for the opportunity I'll have to be with Martin and Sharon and Harold and Rachel and so many others.  I can't wait to celebrate and learn so much more about Mary's surrendered life to a God she loved and knew well...loves and knows well.

The last many years Sharon has been a mother to me, and I'm so deeply thankful for the mother that HER mother has been to her, and to many more.

What a heritage of faith we have, family of God, from today to the very back beginning.

We are taking a leap of faith and Sofie is going alongside, and Matt is holding down the fort with Nora and Lily and visitors and so on.

Please be praying for them, please be praying for us, please be praying for Sharon and her family, and my next post will be from 'the other side'.

Thank you!

Mary Atherton White Brown
April 1, 1940 to January 25, 2017

Mary White Brown died Wednesday, January 25 2017 in her Pinnacle, NC home after a long illness. She was born in Glen Alpine, NC to R. R. and Annie White, and was sister to 11 siblings. 

After graduating from Guilford College, she joined her husband Harold in a lifelong calling to missions with One Mission Society. They served 25 years in Haiti, where Mary taught in the missionary children’s school and ministered as housemother to boarding students. 

They then moved to Moscow, Russia for 5 years where Harold and Mary partnered in teaching English and Christian values to Russian teachers, as well as founding Moscow Theological Seminary. After leaving Moscow in 1997, Mary and Harold continued to support the ministry there, as well as being involved in OMS ministries in Europe and Africa.

Mary was a loving example of a godly wife, mother and friend, always gracious despite physical pain in her final years. She cherished her family and welcomed every new member with open arms. She was especially excited to become a great-grandmother in March, and will be rejoicing that addition from heaven. To the very end of her life, she gave of herself freely and found ways to tend to those who cared for her.

Mary is survived by her husband Harold; daughters and spouses, Sharon and Martin Mishler of Sabetha, Kansas, Angie and Byron Gilliam of Chapel Hill, NC; grandchildren Isaac Mishler, Rachel Mishler Trent and Austin Trent, Sophie Gilliam and Rhys Gilliam; brothers and sisters Roy White, Doris White Orders, Harold and Nell White, and Elizabeth White Morgan and Jim Morgan; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be January 30 at 2 p.m. at Shoals United Methodist Church, 4245 Shoals Road, Pinnacle, with family receiving visitors at 12 noon at the same location. A memorial celebration will be held on Feb 4 at 12 noon at Mary’s beloved White Family River, 5141 Powerhouse Rd, Morganton, NC.
Memorial contributions may be made to Mountain Valley Hospice in Mt. Airy NC or Moscow Theological Seminary in lieu of flowers.