Bettye B. (Byrd) Brown

Bettye Byrd Brown transitioned to be with our Lord and Savior on Sunday, March 17, 2019 at Pristine Senior Living & Post-Acute Care of Oxford, Ohio. She was 83 years old.  

Born on November 6, 1935 in Tuscumbia, Alabama, Bettye was the daughter of Sylvester Byrd, Sr. and Lydia Gilliam Byrd.  She grew up in Tuscumbia where she graduated from Trenholm High School. She accepted Christ at an early age and connected as a young woman to her calling to serve others.

She moved to Oxford in 1956 and married the love of her life, Urle Brown, on July 20, 1957. Through this union, they had three children, Chris, Liz and Denise.

Bettye was an active member of Bethel A.M.E. Church, where she served as a missionary, taught Sunday school, sang in the choir and was an instrumental supporter of the Saturday morning tutoring program. She facilitated bible studies in her home and led prayer groups with her sisters-in-Christ.

Bettye’s commitment to enriching the lives of others was felt from children to adults alike. She served as the Director of the Oxford Early Development Center for many years, where she educated, nurtured and cared for countless children who attended. She was a member of the local branch of the Fortnightly Club, a women’s group dedicated to volunteerism, fundraising, community service and outreach. It was through this organization that she worked to establish scholarships for high school graduates.

Bettye earned an associate degree in social work from the University of Cincinnati. She served as the Executive Director of Oxford Advisory Welfare Services for more than 17 years, where she selflessly demonstrated servant leadership to those in need throughout the Oxford community.

Bettye’s acts of service were recognized by numerous organizations, including but not limited to Bethel A.M.E. Church and the Oxford Branch of the NAACP, where she was a lifetime member. She was a recipient of the Gennie Elder Suel award, presented at Miami University’s Women of Color Luncheon. She was also a recipient of the Oxford Citizens of the Years award.

Bettye exemplified the love of Christ like none other. She and her husband opened their home to countless people, welcoming many children and adults into their family. They generously gave food from their garden, money from their pockets and love from their hearts, without ever asking for anything in return.

Bettye was proceeded in death by her parents, Lydia Gilliam Byrd, Sylvester Byrd, Sr., and step-mother Annie Eva Byrd, who raised her from an early age; son Christopher (Shelby Jean) Brown and brother Sylvester Byrd, Jr. Bettye leaves to cherish her memory her loving husband of 61 ½ years, Urle; daughters Liz and Denise Brown; daughter-in-law Shelby Jean Brown; grandchildren Doronna (Greg) Vickers, Marrio, Marco and Terry Christopher Brown, Jazmine Hazelwood and Christopher Jackson; great-grandchildren Kelsey (David) Harding, Tyana Owens, Kamiah Vickers, Peyton Lipscomb, Joseph Brown, and Christopher Kelly Brown; great-great-granddaughter Parker Kay Harding; sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, God-daughters, God-sons and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, family and friends.

A visitation will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 23 at Bethel A.M.E. Church, located at 14 South Beech Street in Oxford, Ohio. Funeral services will begin promptly at noon, followed by the interment at Woodside Cemetery in Oxford. The family would like to express their sincere thanks to the nurses, aides and staff of Pristine Senior Living & Post-Acute Care of Oxford. Memorial contributions can be made to Bethel A.M.E. Church.   

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