She was born in Marylee, a small farming community twelve miles north of Jasper, to the late John Henry Nunnelley and Willie Anne Rutledge. She graduated from Curry High School in 1926 at 16 years of age. Only one week later, she entered Florence State Teacher's College which is now the University of North Alabama. She studied education that summer and received her certificate to teach the following winter. She continued strengthening her educational skills during the summer and taught during the winter until she received her diplomas from Florence State Teacher's College and Howard College, which later became Samford University. She was a successful educator for 34 years. In 1929 she married Chesley B. Brown, who co-founded City Hardware and Brown Pipe Company. They were married 69 years. She was a member of First Baptist Church in Jasper, where she taught Sunday School for 28 years. She was a member and past Worthly Matron of the Order of the Eastern Star. She was president of the Crescent Study Club twice. Survivors include her daughter, Elizabeth Brown Tomlin; husband, Donald D. Tomlin Jr., both of Huntsville; one son, Ronald C. Brown and his wife, Mary Lou McCaleb of Montgomery; five grandchildren, Elizabeth Tomlin Chapman, Mary Ellen Tomlin, Ronald C. Brown Jr. and his wife, Jenny, Robert B. Brown and Mary Elizabeth Brown; and one great-grandson, Richard Edward Chapman III.
She was born in Marylee, a small farming community twelve miles north of Jasper, to the late John Henry Nunnelley and Willie Anne Rutledge. She graduated from Curry High School in 1926 at 16 years of age. Only one week later, she entered Florence State Teacher's College which is now the University of North Alabama. She studied education that summer and received her certificate to teach the following winter. She continued strengthening her educational skills during the summer and taught during the winter until she received her diplomas from Florence State Teacher's College and Howard College, which later became Samford University. She was a successful educator for 34 years. In 1929 she married Chesley B. Brown, who co-founded City Hardware and Brown Pipe Company. They were married 69 years. She was a member of First Baptist Church in Jasper, where she taught Sunday School for 28 years. She was a member and past Worthly Matron of the Order of the Eastern Star. She was president of the Crescent Study Club twice. Survivors include her daughter, Elizabeth Brown Tomlin; husband, Donald D. Tomlin Jr., both of Huntsville; one son, Ronald C. Brown and his wife, Mary Lou McCaleb of Montgomery; five grandchildren, Elizabeth Tomlin Chapman, Mary Ellen Tomlin, Ronald C. Brown Jr. and his wife, Jenny, Robert B. Brown and Mary Elizabeth Brown; and one great-grandson, Richard Edward Chapman III.
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