Mary Ellen Brown

Owned Mary Brown Graphics for 10 years before

her retirement

THOMASVILLE, N.C. - Mary Ellen Brown, 65, a resident of 6992 Gra-Lan Drive, passed away Tuesday evening, Feb. 26, 2008, at Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst.

Born in Gaffney on Aug. 18, 1942, to Wilbert and Lennie Martin Hammett, she had lived in this area for the past 43 years, moving from Charlotte. She was a former 20- year employee of Alderman Studios, worked four years with PBM Graphics, and owned Mary Brown Graphics for 10 years before retirement. She was a member of First Baptist Church in Thomasville, where she was in the Truth Seekers Sunday School Class, was past president of the Ladies Golf Association of Holly Ridge Golf Club, and loved traveling, golf and reading.

Her primary interest was her family whom she loved very much and treasured the time spent with them. She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister, Marjorie H. Padgett. On Sept. 22, 1961, she married Ralph O. Brown who survives of the home.

Also surviving are her daughter, Anita Brown Elks and husband, Dempsey, of Chapel Hill; son, Greg Brown and wife, Cathe, of Alexandria, Va.; sisters, Billie Welch and husband, Hobert, and Annie Ruppe and husband, Marshall, all of Charlotte; brothers, Glenn Hammett and wife, Lillie, Maynard Hammett and wife,Madeline, and Robert Hammett and wife, Brenda, all of Gaffney; and Forrest Hammett and wife, Katie, of Piedmont, S.C.; a brother-inlaw, Gus Padgett of Thomasville; and a granddaughter, Christine Brown.

Celebration of Life services will be on Saturday at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church with the Revs. Bynum Orr and Jon Strother officiating. Interment will follow in Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church Cemetery in Carthage, N.C. The family will receive friends on today from 6-8 p.m. at J.C. Green and Sons Funeral Home in Thomasville, where Mrs. Brown will remain until being placed in the church at 10 a.m. Saturday.

The family requests that memorials be made in Mrs. Brown's memory to either Hospice of Davidson County, 524 S. State St., Lexington, N.C. 27292; or to First Baptist Church, 8 Cramer St., Thomasville, N.C. 27360.

On-line condolences may be made to www.jcgreenand sons.com. The family wishes to especially thank Dr. Robert Tucker, Dr. Barrett Cheek and Dr. John Lafata for all of their many kindnesses during her illness.

Arrangements by J.C. Green & Sons Funeral Home, Thomasville.