Obituary for Betty Jane Ingle Brown
Betty Jane Ingle Brown died peacefully in her home on Christmas Eve, while preparing food for
the next day. She was predeceased by her parents Henry Luther Ingle and Annie Lee Brank
Ingle of Beacon Village in Swannanoa. She was married to the late Robert (Bob) Brown for 60
years until his passing in 2013. Her daughter, Pam also preceded her to heaven in 2017. Betty
continued to thrive in spite of a broken heart for two more years.
She is survived by her son Robert (Bert) Brown Jr and his wife , Mitzi Reed Brown, as well as
brother-in-law Charles (Jack) Brown and his wife, Carolyn and sister-in-law Joan Guthrie
Brown. Many other family members and good friends are left to treasure her memory.
In 1931 Betty was born into Swannanoa First Baptist Church and baptized at age 6. She
remained a lifelong member there and served in various capacities including child care, choir
member, office worker and on the baptismal committee. Like her mother, Annie Lee, before her
and her daughter, Pamela, after her Betty played piano in the church, especially for the Baracca
Class. She had a heart for missions and was generous wherever she saw a need.
Betty grew up in Beacon’s Old Village until moving uptown to Gibbs Street when she was in the
8th grade. She graduated Swannanoa High School where she excelled in basketball and
cheerleading. She attended Asheville Biltmore College and worked at Beacon as one of Charles
D Owen’s secretaries.
In 1953 Bob and Betty were married in the old sanctuary that stood where the Jerry Pereira
Family Life Center is today. Besides her own children she helped raise hundreds of other
children in her Kiddie Kollege daycare/playschool and always had a heart for helping young
people.
She had a curious mind and was very creative, learning about antiques, pottery and computers
at A-B Tech. Though she never quite figured out the Google machine she had many interesting
conversations with Alexa.
Betty could and did make friends with total strangers; a trip to Ingles for just milk and bread
could last a good two hours. She loved songbirds and flowers but hated those little kitchen ants.
Her Sunday dinners were always the best 3 meals of the week. Hers was a life of love and joy,
a life well-lived, a life that mattered.
A memorial service will be held Thursday January 2, 2020 at First Baptist Swannanoa at 503
Park Street. Visitation starts at 1pm with the service at 2pm and graveside rites at 3pm at
Mountain View below Tabernacle.
the next day. She was predeceased by her parents Henry Luther Ingle and Annie Lee Brank
Ingle of Beacon Village in Swannanoa. She was married to the late Robert (Bob) Brown for 60
years until his passing in 2013. Her daughter, Pam also preceded her to heaven in 2017. Betty
continued to thrive in spite of a broken heart for two more years.
She is survived by her son Robert (Bert) Brown Jr and his wife , Mitzi Reed Brown, as well as
brother-in-law Charles (Jack) Brown and his wife, Carolyn and sister-in-law Joan Guthrie
Brown. Many other family members and good friends are left to treasure her memory.
In 1931 Betty was born into Swannanoa First Baptist Church and baptized at age 6. She
remained a lifelong member there and served in various capacities including child care, choir
member, office worker and on the baptismal committee. Like her mother, Annie Lee, before her
and her daughter, Pamela, after her Betty played piano in the church, especially for the Baracca
Class. She had a heart for missions and was generous wherever she saw a need.
Betty grew up in Beacon’s Old Village until moving uptown to Gibbs Street when she was in the
8th grade. She graduated Swannanoa High School where she excelled in basketball and
cheerleading. She attended Asheville Biltmore College and worked at Beacon as one of Charles
D Owen’s secretaries.
In 1953 Bob and Betty were married in the old sanctuary that stood where the Jerry Pereira
Family Life Center is today. Besides her own children she helped raise hundreds of other
children in her Kiddie Kollege daycare/playschool and always had a heart for helping young
people.
She had a curious mind and was very creative, learning about antiques, pottery and computers
at A-B Tech. Though she never quite figured out the Google machine she had many interesting
conversations with Alexa.
Betty could and did make friends with total strangers; a trip to Ingles for just milk and bread
could last a good two hours. She loved songbirds and flowers but hated those little kitchen ants.
Her Sunday dinners were always the best 3 meals of the week. Hers was a life of love and joy,
a life well-lived, a life that mattered.
A memorial service will be held Thursday January 2, 2020 at First Baptist Swannanoa at 503
Park Street. Visitation starts at 1pm with the service at 2pm and graveside rites at 3pm at
Mountain View below Tabernacle.