Georgia Exum Brown

Born on October 24, 1924 in Fremont, N.C., Georgia grew into awareness at the dawn of the great depression, but as the youngest of 8 children who survived into adulthood, she was squarely positioned inside a protective, loving, child-centered family. Doted on by older siblings, and her parents, George and Cecil Exum, she experienced an unconditional love and regard that would fuel a sense of confidence and self-worth that sustained her throughout her long life. It might have prompted some to see her as demanding, but she learned no one was any more worthy than she was of expecting and striving for the best. That striving led her to a career in nursing when she answered Congress’s call to join the Cadet Nursing Corp during World War II. The Corp was formed to ensure the country was training and producing a sufficient number of nurses to support the war effort. In 1946, she graduated as an R.N. from the Community Hospital School of Nursing in Wilmington, N.C.. Wilmington was also where she met her future husband, David Andrew Brown. He would later credit her with inspiring him to pursue additional college studies, and earning his DDS from Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry in Nashville, TN. After his graduation, the couple moved with their growing family to upstate N.Y. where Georgia continued her career as a hospital nurse working in pediatrics. After taking time out to be home with her three young children, she re-joined the work force in 1969 as a Social Services Case Worker with Oneida County serving in the Child Protective and Adoptions units. In 1978 she decided to pursue a leadership role and took the Social Services supervisor exam. After obtaining the highest county-wide score of the candidates applying, she had to file a complaint to be promoted into a unit supervisor opening that was grudgingly granted to her that year. She was the first African American in the county to hold such a position. By the time she retired from her supervisory role in 1988, she had trained and mentored a diverse, dedicated cadre of workers and colleagues who cite her caring guidance and leadership as having profound impact on their lives. After the death of her husband, David, Georgia moved to Atlanta to be closer to family. There, she continued to serve youth and children as an RN for the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice from 1989 to 1996. During her final years, she returned to the upstate NY area to be near her granddaughter’s family. In addition to a host of close friends and former colleagues, she is survived by her daughters, Ann Woodly and Cecilia Denese Monaghan; her sons David Brown, Jr. and Andrew Reynard Brown; her grandchildren, Deva Woodly, Aaronnramla Myeckhal Strider Monaghan, Andre’ Ananias Brown, Maya Brown and Sofia Brown. Her surviving great grandchildren are Tyler Jordan Brown, Vaughn Xavier Davis and Layla Anne Davis. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, David Brown, and her grandchildren, Justin Donnell Woodly and Anna ¬¬-Nicole Brown. On May 30, 2019 she transcended this life surrounded by the same all-encompassing love she was born into 94 years ago. The memory of her spunkiness, devotion, humor, and resilience will live on as long as there are those to share her light, her wit, her wisdom, and her story. As her granddaughter said, she had sparkle for the ages. There will be none like her again.