Mary Elizabeth Brown

Mary Elizabeth Smartt Brown, age 91, died peacefully Friday, July 19, 2013, at her home in Nashville. She is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law Betty Rhea and Mousa Sadreddini and Martha and Larry Larkin, also of Nashville. Born in Cookeville, Tennessee on July 25, 1921 to Clare M. and Mary Alma Odom Smartt, Mary Elizabeth received her elementary and secondary education in Putnam County. She was one of only 18 graduates in the 1941 class of St. Thomas School of Nursing. Following graduation from St. Thomas she returned to Cookeville to work for Dr. W. A. Howard and later for both Dr. Howard and his great nephew, Dr. W. S. Taylor, where she was employed for more than 30 years. Returning to Cookeville after nursing school Mary Elizabeth met Raymond Brown and they married in 1945. Coach Brown then accepted the position of Athletic Director and Head Basketball Coach at Milligan College in Johnson City, Tennessee where Mary Elizabeth worked as the college nurse and secretary to the President of Milligan. The Browns came back to Cookeville in 1947 where she worked as the Head Nurse at the Tennessee Tech Infirmary for a year before returning to work for Dr. Howard in his office practice. In 1978 Mary Elizabeth accepted a position as Chief Industrial Nurse and Head of the Medical Department at the Duriron Corporation that had just established a manufacturing facility in Cookeville. She worked there until her retirement in 1987. Following her retirement, Mary Elizabeth helped organize and served as the first Chairman of the Tennessee Tech School of Nursing Foundation, a position she held for 8 years. In 1992 she received the Tennessee Tech Outstanding Service Award for her contributions to the School of Nursing and the Cookeville community after 47 years of nursing. In Cookeville she was known as "Nurse Brown"� by her many patients and friends. In 1995, Mary Elizabeth and Raymond moved to Nashville to reside at the Blakeford and be close to their two daughters. Although a full-time working mother, Mary Elizabeth was active in the programs of the First Baptist Church in Cookeville where her mother was one of the church"�s founding members. She was a Girls Auxiliary leader, an active member of the Women"�s Missionary Union, the church Social Chairman for many years and taught Sunday School for over 45 years. Mary Elizabeth and Raymond were among the organizers of the Silver Point Mission and both taught Sunday School there for the first 10 years of the Mission"�s existence. Following their move to Nashville she and Raymond attended Woodmont Baptist Church. Mary Elizabeth was a fabulous cook and she had boxes of recipes that she was always willing to share, many of which had been altered to include her special touches and ingredients. One of her greatest enjoyments was a beautifully set table full of delicious food served to family and friends. Mary Elizabeth had a generous heart and she touched many lives in her roles as a daughter, wife, mother and nurse. Mary Elizabeth is also survived by a nephew, William McClain Smartt (Susan) of San Francisco, California and a niece, Katherine Ann Strauss of Stuart, Florida. She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Clare McClain Smartt, Jr.; sister-in-law, Willodean Smartt Zensius; and her loving husband of 67 years, Raymond. The family wishes to thank friends, neighbors and the staff at Blakeford at Green Hills and the staff of Blakeford at Home, Comfort Keepers and Alive Hospice for their loving care, friendship and support. A Celebration of Life service will be held at the First Baptist Church in Cookeville on Wednesday, July 24 at 1:00 pm. Dr. Randall Adkisson will officiate. The family will receive friends at the church from 10:30 am to 1:00 pm prior to the service. Burial will be in Crest Lawn Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers will include family and dear friends. In lieu of flowers the family suggests remembrances be made to the Tennessee Tech School of Nursing, P.O. Box 5111, Cookeville, TN 38505, the First Baptist Church of Cookeville, 18 South Walnut Avenue, Cookeville, TN 38501 or Alive Hospice, 1718 Patterson Street, Nashville, TN 37203.