By Jim Meridith
Posted: Updated:
26 Comments
  • Visitation

    Friday, September 11, 2020

    9:00 am to 11:00 am

    Meridith Funeral Home, Lebanon, IL

  • Service

    Graveside Service:  Immediately following visitation

    College Hill Cemetery, Lebanon, IL

     

  • Full Obituary

    Mable Brown, 84, of Killeen, TX, formerly of Lebanon, IL, passed away, Wednesday, August 26, 2020 at Baylor, Scott & White Medical Center, in Temple, TX.

    Mable was born March, 25, 1936 to Tommie and Janie (nee O’Neil) Smith in Robinsonville, MS.

    Mable had the most beautiful smile, along with many loveable traits.  She was very friendly, outgoing, strong, stern, kind and energetic.  Mable loved Blues music, dancing and was quite crafty; from fixing a car, to building her own patio deck.  She was a “Jackie of all trades”, and master of none.  You name it, she could do it, and if she didn’t know how, she would learn.  Mable was always passionate about her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren; lovingly wanting to be called “Granny”.  She will always be remembered for her three favorite sayings:  “We all have choices.”; “We all need to come to the table and have a discussion.”, and “Am I right, or am I wrong?”  Mable’s loving spirit will be missed by all those who knew her.

    She was preceded in death by her parents, Tommie and Janie Smith; children, Linda Smith and Paul Brown; twelve brothers and sisters.

    Mable is survived by her children, Grace Deangelou and Etta Bell, both of Texas, David Brown, of Maryland, and Tracy Zeigler, of Illinois; twelve grandchildren; and fourteen great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews.

    In leui of flowers, donations may be made to the Family, and received at the Funeral Home.

    Due to COVID-19, masks are mandatory, and we ask that you please social distance.

    Visitation:  Friday, September 11, 2020, from 9:00 am to 11:00 am, Meridith Funeral Home, Lebanon, IL.

    Graveside Service:  Immediately following, College Hill Cemetery, Lebanon, IL.

    Interment: College Hill Cemetery

    Meridith Funeral Home, Lebanon, IL.

Condolences are reviewed and published within 24 hours.

26 Condolences
 
  1. Jacquelyn & Abraham Brooks / August 28, 2020 at 8:25 pm

    Aunt Mable you are at peace now, no more pain, no more worries. You are now in the comfort of Gods arms. Aunt Mable you will be missed. God will watch over your children and grandchildren now, you can Rest in Everlasting Peace.

    Love Fay

  2. Theresa Cole / August 28, 2020 at 9:41 pm

    Granny you will always have a special place in my heart. I will miss you smile and the advice you always so eagerly offered. I will always cherish our talks. My family and I send our love.

    Love Always
    Theresa

  3. Joyce Smith / August 28, 2020 at 10:02 pm

    Aunt Mabel there is TRULY NO ONE LIKE YOU. I can ASSURE you that there is NO-ONE that could ever replace you. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND WE ARE ALL GOING TO MISS YOU SINGING, DANCING, LAUGHING AND MAKING US LAUGH. You’re SMILE was EVERYTHING but I mostly LOVE YOUR SPUNK AND YOUR LOVE OF LIFE AND YOUR SELF LOVE MOTIVATES US ALL. YOU CAN NOW REST IN PEACE. JOB WELL DONE TEE.

    Love Always Your Niece (Joyce Smith (PUDDIN)

  4. Etta / August 29, 2020 at 12:23 am

    Granny I’m going to miss you 😘, I’ll always have that special spot in my heart ❤️. Tell everyone hello and I’ll see you again in time. You have taught and loved endless to me. My strength, smile, and knowledge are all you in giving tough love as my mom. I’m so happy for you as my mother. You have touched so many lives that you will never be forgotten. I know you will have a beautiful welcoming as the gates open and horns sound off announcing your name as arrival to the home of glory. Rest In Peace Granny. 💋 💋

  5. Keith Simon / August 29, 2020 at 7:41 am

    Although I only met “Granny” once, She definitely made me feel special as I was greeted with a big hug and a barrage of questions like are you hungry and when are you coming back? Since then I have spoken to her on the phone a few times and I still felt that special feeling very as i did on the first day we met. I consider it a blessing that I was able to meet her. She was a great source of goodness and I will truly miss her. Rest easy “Granny” my prayers are with the family and friends.

  6. Mark and Lu Pugh / August 29, 2020 at 8:26 am

    Sending our love, prayers and condolences to the entire family. Remember, God is faithful and loves all of us.

  7. Elexis / August 29, 2020 at 9:49 am

    I love you Granny! May you rest peacefully. See you later.

    Love, Elexis

  8. Rob / August 29, 2020 at 10:06 am

    Granny you know I loved you from the moment I met you. You’ve been my grandmother while away from my grandmother and I’ve always appreciated you for it. I’ll always cherish the memories that I was so blessed to have made with you. You will be truly missed but never forgotten Granny and I love you 😘❤️ I won’t forget the deck of cards and a cold one for you when I see you next lifetime.

  9. Michelle Holmes / August 29, 2020 at 11:41 am

    Aunt Mable, I am heartbroken but I know you are in a better place because you are free! My fondest memory is of you being in the delivery room when I gave birth to Tanika. You rubbed my back when the labor pains hit and encouraged me to push her on out. That was 35 years ago but I remember it like it was yesterday. Thank you for being my mother’s best friend. I know the two of you are back to being thick as thieves now. I love You. Now spread your wings and go wherever and whenever!🌹

  10. Nita Hightower / August 29, 2020 at 12:54 pm

    You was always the life line to your family. You will be truly missed. I cherish our times together and appreciated your motherly advice. Love you granny. Nita Hightower.

  11. Michael McSellers / August 29, 2020 at 2:37 pm

    Aunt Mabel, your smile was contagious and your strength was one of a kind. The last time we spoke you said…Michael. I’m so proud of you and I know Ann is too. I can clearly hear your voice speaking those words which was one of a kind. When you loved you loved hard and when you had that look on your face everyone knew you meant business. You were always true to yourself and never holding back. You were filled with wisdom that’ll last for generations to come. You will be missed.

    Love your nephew,
    Michael J. McSellers

  12. Kim Hellen / August 29, 2020 at 3:29 pm

    Granny, from the moment I met you, you treated my family like Your family. Taking Kanesha and my mom with you to Illinois. Ensuring important matters are taken care of. You always made me feel like I was your daughter. Thanks for the counsel, friendship and your support! I’m grateful for being a part of your life! I was always amazed by the amount of skills you’ve attained and the things you could do. When you enter in a room, you bring in energy to cheer those that are down. You will never be forgotten and forever be missed! Love you granny!

  13. Felicia Brown / August 29, 2020 at 3:35 pm

    To the family, your mother/granny was a sweet, fun-loving lady who as soon as you met her made you feel like you knew her for a long time. That is exactly how she made me feel when I met her.She had a smile that would light up the room.
    She will be missed dearly but I also rejoice that she is with the Heavenly Father now where there is no more pain and suffering. I pray God comforts in your time of need and give you peace.

  14. Tina Sims / August 30, 2020 at 3:31 pm

    Dearest Aunt Mable,

    As a little girl, I never quite fully understood my mother’s (Janie Snow) deep admiration and unyielding respect for you until I was much older. As a kid, you were simply my grandfather’s fun, loving, cutting up a rug, blatantly outspoken younger sibling -whom just so happened to be the real deal with a pressing comb; LOL! Oh how, I yearned and looked forward to those press and curls done by you.

    Overtime, I learned through various conversations with her that you were the main person who stepped up to help raise a motherless teenager. Taking her in, mentoring her, monitoring her, encouraging her dreams, celebrating her success and comforting her failures consistently throughout her life, despite having a family of your own.

    There aren’t enough words to truly express how much of a direct impact you’ve had on shaping both of our lives. I can recall you being present for some of the best times of my life, and the most difficult time of my life. Your selflessness and strength of family whether right, wrong, or indifferent never went unnoticed or unappreciated. I ‘ll forever cherish our conversations and time together with one another.

    But know ONE thing and TWO for certain, that you signify SO MUCH more than the TITLE of an Auntie and Grand Aunt. I’m wounded by your departure but rejoiced in knowing your smiling brightly now with our Heavenly Father. I love you!

    Your niece, Tina M. Sims and family

  15. Jesse n kim smith / August 30, 2020 at 4:11 pm

    To my aunt Mable in all my memorys you where the greatest if i searched all over I would not find nobody nor high or low still wouldn’t find nobody greater than you love Kim and Jesse Smith

  16. C. Wilson / August 30, 2020 at 5:56 pm

    To the BROWN FAMILY in their time of grief, please find comfort in the words recorded in (John 5:28, 29)

  17. Dennis Vasser / August 30, 2020 at 9:41 pm

    My condolences to the Brown family. Granny was a loving and caring mother who treated me as part of the family. I have So much love for you. Rest well God’s Angel.

  18. Jill / August 31, 2020 at 11:43 am

    Dearest Mable,
    Thank you for being my friend.
    I appreciate your love and I loved you right back. Your huge smile, hilarious stories and loving hugs will always
    warm me and put a smile on my face
    Keep dancing my friend

    Ladies, thank you for stopping to let me know of Mable’s passing. My sympathies to all of you for losing a wonderful inspiration
    ❤️

  19. Dave Hagedorn / August 31, 2020 at 5:26 pm

    I met Mable on just one occasion and her lively spirit was obvious, strong and fun. Having read more about her life here, it seems clear to me that her spirit also lives on through her family. It is my pleasure to work alongside Tracy Zeigler and it is no surprise to me that she shares the same love for family and incredible determination. I think it is a positive testimony to one’s life when their children adopt their same strengths. My prayer for Tracy and the rest of Mable’s family is that they can celebrate Mable’s life with joyful memories while also feeling peace in their soul.

  20. Margaret Smith / August 31, 2020 at 6:19 pm

    I never met a Aunt that was real about everything you always say what was on your mind so joyful and fun to be around I’m going to miss your smile RIP Auntie love always.

  21. Latese Jamison / September 1, 2020 at 1:20 pm

    Granny was a dear friend. One we all cherished. She has touched our family in more ways than I can count. I appreciate her love and kindness to my children. Her marriage advice was comical, tried, and true. I’ve adopted her passion to dance and stay real! Mostly, I will miss her smile. She brightened every room she entered. I love you Granny. Thank you Brown Family for sharing her with us. You were blessed to had such a woman in your lives.

  22. Keithkeigley / September 1, 2020 at 3:50 pm

    Hey Granny I’m definitely going to miss you! Your smile and your spirit always lit up the day. I know that family got a little mad at me for helping you get back up here to Illinois. But I just thought that’s what she was wanting that’s what you needed I didn’t know I was stepping on nobody else’s toes.But I know that God was going to welcome you home with open arms. Because God knows what’s good. I miss you and I love you Granny. Keith a..Keigley.champagne Illinois

  23. Fred and Gwen Thompson / September 8, 2020 at 10:59 am

    To the family of Mable Brown, For our own reasons there is never a good time when the Lord calls a love one, It’s better when the love one is called if they were a good soul because they are going home. I recognized and enjoyed her strength and personality after meeting her. I was pleased to find out I knew one of her oldest children which offered me a connection. I know all of you love her, The Lord loves her more. May her spirit and love sustain all of you. We want to extend our sincere condolences.

  24. Mack / September 10, 2020 at 12:07 pm

    Mom, you will indeed be missed by me. I will always remember our talks, the road trips and visits. We were alike in so many many ways and we knew both acknowledged that. Our birthdays were a day part (you always called)! Rest in Heaven! God has definitely received an Angel! To God Be The Glory! I love you!

    Love Mack

  25. Stephanie Lary / September 10, 2020 at 3:34 pm

    Rest in Peace with the LORD, Granny. I will always remember the conversations we shared. I love you.

  26. The Chism Family / September 11, 2020 at 6:58 am

    Please accept our condolences on the lost of your love one. My family called her as well, we are neighbors of Lisa, and we often would speak to granny in passing, and once in a while see her walking the dog. She had a strong personality, and a beautiful smile.

    As you hold those dear memories close to your hearts, cherish those moments for they will never die.

    I pray that your family find peace and solace in knowing that Granny is resting in peace with our heavenly father!

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