“Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.”
Proverbs 31:10-11 KJV
For His purpose and in His own way, God came into our family and took from us a precious loved one. Barbara Lee Brown slipped into a blissful sleep and woke up in the arms of Jesus, on Wednesday, April 29, 2020, in her home. Her life began on March 24, 1942, daughter of the late Queen Esther and Mervin Lee Piggott Sr., in Williamsburg, Virginia.
At an early age, she confessed Christ as her Personal Savior and joined Saint John Baptist Church, Williamsburg, VA. As a teenager, she taught Sunday School and later became a member of the Busy Bee Club. She loved her church and her church family.
She attended James Weldon Johnson High School in Yorktown, Virginia, where she was a majorette in the marching band; graduating with the Class of 1960.
On June 23, 1962, she was united in Holy Matrimony to Harold Roger Brown Jr. Unto this union, they were blessed with two loving children.
She worked as a Teacher’s Assistant at Rawls Byrd Elementary School. If you knew her, then you know she always said, “Once a Rawls Byrd Penguin, always a Rawls Byrd Penguin!” Prior to becoming a teacher’s assistant, she worked many years in the cafeteria of Bruton Heights Elementary School. She retired from the Williamsburg-James City County School System after forty-two years of dedicated service.
Barbara was always an inspiration and joy to be around. Words are inadequate to express the love she had for her family. Her love for the Lord was apparent to all, and her unwavering faith in God’s goodness and mercy was an inspiration to many. An avid reader with over 1,500 books in her library, she found happiness in creating scrapbooks and journaling. She was also quite the sports enthusiast and enjoyed watching football and basketball games with her “boys.” It didn’t matter if you called her Grams, Gramma Barbara, Momma, Bobbie, Barb, or as her daughter would say “Bar Dukes,” she always had a big smile, a bear hug, and words of warmth and encouragement for everyone.
She leaves to cherish wonderful memories with her devoted husband of fifty-eight years, Harold R. Brown Jr.; loving children, Lynn Covington (Clarence Sr.), Roger Brown and David Piggott (Maggie); grandsons, Jumanne and Elijah Brown; brother, Mervin Piggott Jr.; sisters-in-love, Mable Gaddy (Myron) and Willnette Banks; aunts, Lucille Minkins, Alzina Holmes (John), and Julia Wallace; uncle, Herbert Piggott (Shirley); devoted nieces and nephews, Jerry Lee Piggott (Earline), Gregory Banks (Tara), J.J., Jonathan Piggott, and Nicole Piggott; her grandchildren-by-love, Shariff Salaam, Adam and Desiree Wilkins, Brooke Reale, Johanna Quintana, Thomas, LaToya, Jania, and Leah Robinson, Jasmine Parker, and Clarence Covington, Jr.; and a host of other loving relatives and caring friends.
A viewing will be held from 12:00 noon until 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 6, 2020, at Whiting's Chapel. A funeral service will be conducted noon Thursday, May 7, 2020, at St. John Baptist Church, Williamsburg, VA. Facebook Live Stream will be available for the service. Due to the current health pandemic, all attendees must stay in your vehicles. At a later date, when we can all come together, there will be a celebration of her life service, with lots of love, life, and laughter.
Professional services entrusted to the staff of Whiting’s Funeral Home, 7005 Pocahontas Trail, Williamsburg, Virginia 23185. 757-229-3011. whitingsfuneralhome.com
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Barbara Lee (Piggott) Brown, please visit our floral store.