Mother Arbana (Blow) Brown

Arbana Blow Brown, was born in Franklin, Virginia on November 10, 1956 to Sallie Bell Crutchfield and Joe Lewis. She passed on to glory on Wednesday, October 6, 2021 at Onslow Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville NC.

Arbana was a vibrant, cheerful, optimistic, ray of sunshine for anyone who met her. As a servant leader, she never hesitated to help anyone she encountered who was in need. She disliked laziness, excuses, and being inconsiderate of others. In fact, many of her students who were chastised by her were chastised for one of these three reasons.

Arbana Brown graduated from Franklin High school in 1975. While at Franklin High she was an active member of the Beta Club, Future Business Leaders of America, the Library Club, and the Student Cooperative Association. She joined the Marine Corps in 1975 and gained numerous certifications and a degree from Coastal Carolina Community College in the ensuing years. Arbana joined Shiloh Holiness Church as a member in 1978 and later married her faithful husband Curtis Angelo Brown and they were the last couple to get married at the Old Shiloh building that was located at 130 Old Bridge Street on March 22, 1986.

The countless occupations she’s held over her lifetime include but are not limited to serving as a certified nurse assistant, a cab driver and dispatcher, working at a phone center on base, but most importantly, serving as a grade schoolteacher at Shiloh Institute of Learning for more than 20 years. When asked by her children to retire from Shiloh, her response was always “I’m doing no such a thing.”

Her hobbies centered on reading, going to church, and spending time with her loved ones. She served as a Mother on the Shiloh Mother Board and choir directress of the Mother Board.

Arbana was preceded in death by her mother, father, and her sister. She is survived by her spouse Curtis Brown, her three daughters Senior Master Sergeant Makeisha LaPlante, Doctor Veronica Rankin (spouse Gregory Rankin), and Janelle Brown, her brother Jerry Blow, her three granddaughters Imani Rankin, Nia Rankin, and Jada Rankin, her father-in-law Charles Brown, her four sisters-in-law from Pennsylvania, aunts and uncles-in-law, and a host of loving cousins, nieces, nephews, other relatives, church family members and friends.

For many their best memories may be of her serving as a schoolteacher or Sunday School teacher, others may remember her church shout or mannerisms while praising the Lord, both the vast majority will always remember her loving spirit and kind heart.

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” II Timothy 4:7

In lieu of financial donations, please send all donations to Shiloh Institute of Learning in care of Arbana Brown. Please send floral arrangement  no later than Tuesday, October 12, 2021 to Nixon Lewis Funeral Home located at 212 South Smith Street in Burgaw, NC 28425.

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