Geraldine Brown

Funeral service for Geraldine LaRue Brown will be at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, January 19, 2023, at Memorial Heights Baptist Church. Burial will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery in Claremore. Visitation will be at MMS-Payne Funeral Home in Claremore from 1-8 p.m. on Wednesday, January 18. Family will greet friends from 6-8 p.m. 
  
Geraldine passed from this life on Friday, January 13, 2023, at the age of 97.
   
The daughter of Solon B. Russell and Alice (Sutton) Russell was born July 2, 1925, in Shamrock, TX. The family moved to Claremore in 1937. She attended Verdigris School until the middle of her senior year, then finished her senior year at Claremore High School. In high school, she was active in track, softball, and basketball.
 
In 1944, she started working for Dr. R. C. Meloy at the old General Hospital. In January 1946, she married Lowhman B. Sutton. Two children were added to this marriage, Sharon and Lowhman Sutton.
  
In 1955, she began working at the Claremore Health Center as a Nurse Aid. She took LPN training in 1960-1961. During this time, she worked full time while caring for her two children and invalid husband. She was very involved in her children's lives, and never missed any of their acitivities. She led Brownies, Girl Scouts, and Girls' Auxiliary at church, in which her daughter was involved. She also led Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts for her son, and taught Sunday School and Training Union at church.
   
In 1970, Geraldine went to college for RN training, while still working full time. This training was interrupted by her husband's ill health. In 1975, she left the Claremore Hospital after 20 years of service, and began working in the cardiac care unit at Osteopathic Hospital in Tulsa. While there she took 90 hours of cardiology studies at Tulsa University.
  
 Health issues of her own caused her to leave the hospital for a job at Dover Norris for two years, followed by one year as plant nurse at PSO in Oologah. In 1978, she began working for Dr. M.R. Jennings, and worked there until her retirement in 1989. She was on the Oklahoma State Nurses Board from 1975-1981. In retirement, she gave flu shots for the Visiting Nurses Association in Tulsa until the age of 83.
   
Never one to stay idle, Geraldine was active in VFW, having lost her son in Viet Nam in 1968. She served in many capacities, including state president over 13 VFW Ladies Auxiliaries. She was state Hospital Chairman at Claremore Veterans Center, and also served as Commander of the Ladies Auxiliary of the DAV, and president of Ladies Auxiliary of the Purple Heart. She received many honors and awards for her service in these organizations. Later, she served her church as Adult Ladies Sunday School Teacher, Sunday School Director, Children's Choir Director, and Bible School Director. She was very committed to her faith, and testified that God was always with her. She loved her family, church family, and friends, but most of all, her God and her pastor.
  
 In 1978, she married Paul W. Brown. They had almost twenty loving years together before his passing in 2008.
   
Geraldine was preceded in death by her parents, husbands Lowhman Sutton and Paul Brown, son Lowhman S. Sutton, granddaughter Dawn Walker, great-granddaughter 
Tiffany Rene Anderson, and six siblings.
Survivors include her daughter Sharon Clark and husband Terry, grandchildren Tammy Anderson and husband Vernon, Jerri Sappington and husband Jesse, and Terry Walker and wife Wendy; great-grandchildren Justin Anderson, Christopher Anderson, Tyler Sappington, Cameron Walker and wife Tiffany, Courtney Sappington; great-great-grandchildren Ava Marie Anderson, Mila Grace Anderson, as well as a host of nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends. 

Those who wish to give a memorial contribution in Geraldine’s memory may contribute to The Journey Home, 900 N.E. Washington, Bartlesville, OK 74006.  
 View and sign Geraldine's online memorial at www.mmsfuneralhomes.com.