Joyce Brown

Edna Joyce Brown, age 84, of Flat Rock, Alabama, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Monday, August 17, 2026. She passed peacefully with her loving family by her side.

Faith and family were the foundation of Joyce’s life. Her Christian journey began in a brush arbor church, and she became a faithful member of Higdon Free Holiness Church at the age of 14. She received the Holy Ghost in 1956 and remained steadfast in her faith throughout her life. Joyce loved the Lord deeply, served Him faithfully, and leaves behind a beautiful testimony of Christian devotion for her family and all who knew her.

Joyce was born on October 18, 1941, in Jackson County, Alabama, to the late Almer and Dimple Smith Godwin. On December 29, 1956, at the age of 15, she married the love of her life, Emmery Brown. Together, they built a life centered on faith, love, and family, raising a large and close-knit family and sharing 68 years of marriage before Emmery’s passing in 2025.

Joyce was a devoted wife and a true helpmate to her husband, always willing to work alongside him in whatever needed to be done. She believed in the value of hard work and took great pride in caring for her home and family. She loved gardening and tending to her yard and flowers. An excellent cook, Joyce found great joy in preparing meals and sharing them with others. She also enjoyed quilting, working puzzles, and watching hummingbirds.

Joyce possessed a tender and compassionate heart, especially for those who were overlooked or in need. She always stood up for the underdog and never hesitated to lend a helping hand. Her kindness, strength, generosity, and unwavering faith touched countless lives. Her greatest earthly joy was her family, and the love and Christian example she gave them will remain part of her lasting legacy.

Left to cherish her memory are her children, Youthel (Dedra) Brown, Vicky (Danny) Forshee, and Roger (Lynn) Brown; siblings, Kathy West, Jimmy (Judy) Godwin, and Jerry Godwin; grandchildren, Kelvin Brown, Amy (Kyle) Middlebrooks, Kellie (Shannon) Byrd, Dustin (Faith) McKenzie, Darren (Brittney) Brown, Derek (Larissa) Brown, and Leah (Nicolas) LaHayne; great-grandchildren, Kaden and Konner Brown, Emily (Luke) Maples, Blake and Grayson Middlebrooks, Mackenzie (Preston) Guest, Makayla (Clay) White and Maddie Klaire Byrd, Mallory and A.J. McKenzie, Easton Edgeworth, Aria, Aralynn, Luke, Logan, and Reagan Brown, and Stephanie, Raya, Alyson, Karaleah, and Jade LaHayne; and great-great-grandchild, Scarlett Jane Guest. She is also survived by numerous extended family members and a host of cherished friends, neighbors, and members of her church family.

In addition to her parents, Joyce was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Emmery Brown; granddaughter, Katie Lynn Brown; sisters, Brenda (Derace) Holmes and Shirley (Mac) McDaniel; infant sister, Judith Ann Godwin; and brothers- and sisters-in-law, Susan Godwin, Rayburn West, Alvie McKenzie, and Debra Brown.

A funeral service honoring and celebrating Joyce’s life will be held on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. ET at Higdon Free Holiness Church, with Brother Edwin Spurgeon and Brother Jody Gray officiating. Following the service, Joyce will be laid to rest beside her loved ones at Oak Lawn Memorial Park in Bryant, Alabama.

Family and friends are invited to visit at Higdon Free Holiness Church on Friday, August 21, from 2:00 until 8:00 p.m. ET, and on Saturday from 12:00 p.m. ET until the service hour.