Barbara Lennox Harris Brown of Speonk died on December 30, 2016, at Brookhaven Hospital, while recovering from emergency surgery. She was 89.
Born in Queens on February 6, 1927, and raised in Speonk, she was the daughter of the late Stewart Lennox Harris and Dorothy Halsey Fordham Harris, and sister of the late Anne H. McNeal. She married Richard Vail Brown, who predeceased her, on December 26, 1951.
She attended Greenbriar Junior College, the State University of New York at New Palz, and Hofstra. She was a first grade teacher at the William Floyd School District for more than 30 years, and even after retirement taught English to some of her Turkish friends, as they exchanged cultures with each other. She skated as a young woman and fell in love with the sport. She loved playing the organ and was very talented at knitting and sewing. She and her friends knitted many caps for cancer patients and children.
Ms. Brown was a member of the Country Club Ladies Bowling League and loved bowling with her friends. She was insulted when they asked her to play with plastic bowling balls and pins at the assisted living facility. She always enjoyed gathering with friends to eat and play dominos. Survivors said she was blessed with close friends who helped her through the last two years. Lifelong friend Helen Tuttle and daughters Vanessa, Dawn and Star took her on many outings and for ice cream. Barbara Vaas, longtime fellow teacher and good friend visited often and kept her in coffee yogurt, along with her husband Paul Vaas and daughter JoAnne “B.J.” who helped to take care of her.
Her beloved poodle, Winston, died a few days later while living at the Eastport Animal Hospital.
She is survived by three nieces, Julie McNeal, Roxane McNeal, Candyce S. Fales; a sister-in-law, Maxine Brown; brothers-in-law, Jonathan Brown and Robert Brown.
A funeral took place on January 5 at Follett-Werner Funeral Home, officiated by Pastor Jerry Olson of Eastport Bible Church. Interment was at Eastport Cemetery, followed by a reception at the Eastport Bible Church.
Memorial donations may be made to a favorite charity or adopt a poodle.
on Jan 30, 2017