Ann Ellis (Langston) Brown

Willow Spring - 

Ann Ellis Langston Brown, age 83, passed away on Saturday, December 4, 2021.  She was born in Edgecombe County, NC on March 21, 1938.  She was the daughter of the late Marvin Henry and Sadie Ellis Langston of Rocky Mount, NC.

She was a graduate of West Edgecombe High School and a member of Proctor’s Chapel Baptist Church where she sang in the choir for many years.

Mrs. Brown was a Vice President in Purchasing with COECO and retired with over 20 years of service in 2003.  She spent many years in the antique business, first working at That Place in Rocky Mount, as well as Bobby Langston’s Antiques in Wilson, NC.  She also owned Jot’M Down Antiques in Rocky Mount and later Ann’sTiques in Littleton, NC at beautiful Lake Gaston.

She and her husband Bernard moved in 2001 to Lake Gaston and lived there until 2013 when they returned to Rocky Mount. After the death of her husband, she moved in 2020 to Willow Spring, NC to be near her children and grandchildren. 

Ann’s family was her top priority. For many years, Ann was mother and father to her three children as her husband Bernard traveled out of town for his work.  She spent her time, when not working outside the home, shuffling her children back and forth to school, church, boy and girl scout functions. She was a troop leader with her girls’ Girl Scout troop. She taught all of her children when they were small how to cook, clean the house, and work in the yard.  Sometimes this was enjoyable to her children and sometimes not.  When the children were young, she spent many hours in the summer with them swimming in the pool and playing Marco Polo. She always welcomed their friends and provided homemade freezer pops after a full day of swimming.  She taught her children how to ride their bikes and picked them up, brushed them off, and kissed their scraped knees when they fell and praised them when they finally mastered it.  During the winter, if there was a good enough snow, she spent many hours with the children on the sleds as well as helping them build the perfect snowman. Hot chocolate was always provided by her with a big marshmallow on top.

Vacations with her husband and the children encompassed many years camping with their travel trailer at the beach and the mountains.  She always made sure the children were slathered with suntan lotion to their dismay.  She enjoyed swimming with the family in the ocean at Salter Path, NC.  Trips to the mountains with her family were always full of fun like going to Sliding Rock in the Pisgah National Forest and to an apple orchard to pick apples. She prepared the best meals on camping trips for her family of which hot dogs, homemade French fries, and Hawaiian beans were some of the favorites.  After moving to Lake Gaston, she spent time with the family riding in the pontoon boat, watching the children and her granddaughter on the tube.  She always had packed lunches ready to take on the boat with the best homemade pimento cheese sandwiches and fried chicken.

She always made sure that the family had a beloved pet whether it was a dog or a cat.  She loved her pets as if they were her children and spent many weekends playing in the yard with them and the children. 

Ann obtained an early love of antiques, especially going on the hunt for a great find with her antique buddy, Nell.  Many hours were spent in the Chevrolet van traveling through NC and VA going to antique auctions or just stopping at someone’s house to inquire about an interesting piece on the porch to see if it was for sale.  She loved finding an old treasure that had seen better days and bringing it back to life.

She loved playing cards, bridge and especially canasta, with her friends Carolyn, Pam W., Marjorie Lou, Elizabeth, and Pam G.  Playing cards was always a time for fellowship and laughter and enjoying delicious snacks.  When the children were little, getting them to go to bed was a chore because they did not want to miss the snacks. 

Ann loved going to the beach anytime of the year.  Many trips were not only spent with her family but also with her best friends, “the girls” (Carolyn, Pam W., and Marjorie Lou).  She and “the girls” spent lots of time on these trips playing canasta, but also going out to eat delicious NC seafood, and shopping at TJ Maxx.

She was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, wonderful sister and aunt, and great friend.  She will be missed by all that knew and loved her.

Ann was preceded in death by her husband, Bernard W. Brown; as well as her parents; her brothers, Wayne and John Langston; and her beloved black lab, Sadie.

Ann leaves behind to cherish her memory, daughters, Julie A. Brown and Della L. Brown; son, Mack M. Brown II and wife, Beverly Craig Brown; granddaughter, Morgan Reece Nienke and husband, Trevor Nienke; great-grandson, Cameron Tate Nienke and great-granddaughter, Peyton Reece Nienke; all of the Garner/Willow Spring, NC area; her sister, Ernestine L. Sellers; several nieces and nephews, as well as many numerous friends.  She also leaves behind her yellow lab, Gracie, who brought her lots of love and joy.

Visitation will be at Davis-Little Funerals, 2129 Lawrence Circle, Rocky Mount on Saturday, December 18th from 1:00 to 4:00 pm.  The family requests that you wear a facial covering in order to protect yourself and others. 

A private burial with the family will be held at Pineview Cemetery in Rocky Mount at a later date.

The family would like to thank personal caregiver, Mrs. Marlowe Spann of Rocky Mount for all of the special love and wonderful care she gave Ann and her late husband Bernard.  Special thanks to Dr. David Browder and his staff of Rocky Mount, NC for all the years of special care given to both of them.

In addition, the family thanks the health care providers of WellCare Home Health of Raleigh, UNC Rex Raleigh, UNC Johnston Clayton Hospitals, and BellaRose Nursing and Rehab of Garner, NC for the wonderful loving care given to Ann.  Special thanks to UNC Oncologists Dr. Padma Kamineni and Dr. Debra Harr and their staff of Clayton, NC for the special care given to Ann.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or Proctor’s Chapel Baptist Church, 2917 Old Wilson Rd, Rocky Mount, NC 27801.

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