Mrs. Heddie Mae Booker Brown was born September 12, 1934 in Chambers County, Alabama. Heddie was the daughter of the late Matthew and Hattie Ramsey Yarbrough. She was the second child of two children.
Heddie attended the Friendship and Branch Schools in the Judge Brown Road Community. She enjoyed growing up and being the “Boss” of her older sister, Minnie. Nothing ever came between her and her sister. They were joined together as though they were conjoined twins.
She joined Friendship Baptist Church at a very young age where she sang solos in the choir. When she was older, she moved to Hartford, CT and remained there most of her adult life. She worked in the medical field as a Nurse Assistant for 30 plus years in Hartford. After retiring, she moved back to Alabama where she re-united with the Friendship Baptist Church. Heddie was faithful and served as the Chairperson of the kitchen committee. She felt the need to return to work and was hired as an Associate with Wal-Mart in Valley. Heddie enjoyed meeting new customers and her work relationship with the employees of Wal-Mart. She was known to her co-workers as “Miss Heddie”.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Hattie and Matthew Yarbrough and her husband Henry Brown. Heddie departed this life peacefully on August 21, 2016 at her residence.
She leaves to cherish her memories: her loving, helpful, devoted, always by her side, caring and concerned sister, Minnie Lee Newton, Valley, AL; two nieces, Helen (James) Gray, Montgomery, AL and Betty Winston, Lanett, AL; four nephews, Ervin Newton, Jr., John Newton, James (Linda) Newton and Charles (Shelia) Newton all of Valley, AL; her great nieces and nephews, whom she loved dearly as her grands, Reco Newton, Jamelia Hayes, LaSheta Newton, Keegan Newton, Ivan Newton, Alicia Newton, Jamiece Gray, Rihana (Ahmoud) Williams, Makis Newton, Cedric Newton and James Gray, Jr.; her great-great nieces and nephews, whom she adored and called “her little ones”, De’Ja Newton, Jamarion Newton, Antwan Newton, Darell Shaver and Johnathan Hayes; her step-daughter, Alice Cunningham, Norwich, CT; several other great and great-great nieces and nephews; her caregiver and friend, Lena Carter; two helpful neighbors, Jenell Walker and Inez Peart; and, a host of other loving relatives and friends that were dear to her. Heddie will truly be missed by her family and friends.