Frances Veronika Brown

Published 4:45 pm Saturday, August 5, 2017

Frances Veronika Brown, 95, a longtime resident of Alexandria, Virginia, died May 2, 2017, at her home of end-stage renal disease.  Born in Mannheim, Germany on February 3, 1922 to Vincenz Partsch and Franziska Stenitska, in 1934 as a young girl she traveled to America to live with her older brother and sister in St. Louis, Missouri.

In 1940 she married the late Frederick Andrew Brown (LCDR U.S. Navy, Ret. died 2010) also of St. Louis, and began her life as a Navy wife where they were stationed in Naples, Italy, Tokyo, Japan, London, England, as well as the University of Mississippi and several tours in the Washington,D.C. area.  With each community Frances shared her many artistic talents. Her hand painted Bauernmalerei Christmas ornaments and furniture were treasured gifts given to friends. For many years Frances also crocheted the newborn hats for the maternity wards at INOVA Alexandria and Fairfax Hospitals. She honored many injured veterans at Walter Reed with her beautiful handmade blankets.   

Frances and her husband continued to travel the world in their retirement enjoying the cultures of many lands. Her strong and independent and hardworking personality kept her active well into her nineties. Frances will be greatly missed.

She is the beloved mother of Frederick Vincent Brown (Jean) of Water Valley; Thomas Richard Brown (Susan) of Kapolei, Hawaii; JoAnn Brown Alfriend (Edward) of Arlington, Virginia; Nancy Jane Williams (Edward) of Oak Hill, Virginia; Walter Christian Brown (Marsha) of Wausau, Wisconsin; Carl Walter Brown(died in infancy).  A second mother to Joseph Bartram of Smithtown, New York. Proud grandmother of Christina Tutt, Lisa Blair, Martin Brown,  Mark Brown,  Caulette Brown, Kristen Alfriend, Edward Alfriend, Caron Atiyeh,  Jennifer Coldwell, Lucy Stried Brown, Madelyn Stried Brown.  Great grandmother of 26 and Great great grandmother of 3.  Great aunt to Katja Michel (Sven Genderka)  and many other nieces and nephews of the Parstch family both living in Missouri and in Germany.  The family wishes to thank Cindy, companion for many years and especially Amianda  Mansaray,  her devoted and loving caretaker until the end.  Sincerest thanks also to entire staff of Old Dominion Homecare and Capital Caring.

Funeral service will be held at the Ft. Myers Old Post Chapel on Tuesday, August 22, 2017, at 2:45 p.m., followed directly by interment in Arlington National Cemetery.  Visitation will be the evening before between 6-8 p.m. at Jefferson Funeral Chapel, 5722 Castlewellan Drive, Alexandria, Virginia 22315. For more information, visit www.jeffersonfuneralchapel.com.