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Stephanie Strawbridge
LaVerne Stewart, born September 26, 1944 in Cleveland, OH, was the baby girl, and fifth, of seven children born to the late BJ and Catherine Stewart. By the age of six, she and her siblings were all embraced by an uncle (Ran Stewart, deceased) and his wife (Ossie, deceased) and relocated to Eastman, GA and raised as siblings to an older cousin, Willa (deceased). LaVerne’s Christian education began at the Mt. Olive Baptist Church of Eastman. Church attendance was mandatory and LaVerne was eager to sing in the choir, and wherever she could. After graduating high school, LaVerne returned to Cleveland where she caught the eye of Roger Brown (deceased). They married and started a family right away. After they divorced, LaVerne moved to the west side with great plans and expectations for her girls. She took some hard jobs to position her girls for success. Finally, she found a “good job.” She was a Nursing Aide at the Cuyahoga County Nursing Home for many years. She was promoted to Activities Clerk but retired as a County Home Healthcare Worker due to her love for patient care.
Having accepted a blind date, she was reunited with Clifford Brown, a father of four sons. He yelled, “I’ve been looking for you all this time” when he saw her, and the rest was history. Despite having the same last name, they made it official by getting married. He called her “Verne” or his “LaVernie” but, on Townsend Avenue and on West 7th Street, folks called her “Miss LaVerne.” Her grandchildren call her “nana” and, to their children, she is “nana-la-la.” She is “aunty” to family and to the children of those who are close to her family. Great nieces and nephews call her “la-la” because, when she sang to them as babies, she’d replace the words she couldn’t remember with la-la-la’s. She was a creative spirit who loved music of all kinds, craft projects, and all of the arts. LaVerne was coy, insightful, caring, persistent, and protective of those she loved. Most would say she was sweet, warm, and delightful but, if she got angry, her piercing sneer could injure your heart. Fortunately, she nearly always managed to smile. Everyone loved her smile, and she laughed like she was at a party.
Now laughing with her savior, LaVerne is preceded in death by her late husband; by one step-son, Andre Brown; her father; by her beloved aunt & uncle and five siblings. Her memory will be cherished by daughters, Zeta Wilkins (Ramone, Sr.) and Yvette Uter (Robert, II); by 4 bonus sons, Marvin Dennis (Renee), Carlos Brown (Sonya) and Frederick Brown; by a “practice” daughter/niece, Elice Cox (Kelvin, deceased); by two siblings and a very dear sister-in-love (Jean Nix, Benjamin Stewart, Sr., Deborah Ware Stewart) and a faithful and enduring prayer partner (Estelle Carr). Her legacy includes grand/step-grandchildren (Ebony, Ramone, Amelia, Sheila, Robert, Jeremiah, CJ, Socara, Tyree, Mariah, Seth Nova, Desember, DeVonne, Antorius, Justin); 4 great grand-children, a village of nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, many caring neighbors and church family members at the Greater Unity Missionary Baptist Church (where she dedicated her life to Christ), Open Door Missionary Baptist Church and Christ Baptist Church.
Having accepted a blind date, she was reunited with Clifford Brown, a father of four sons. He yelled, “I’ve been looking for you all this time” when he saw her, and the rest was history. Despite having the same last name, they made it official by getting married. He called her “Verne” or his “LaVernie” but, on Townsend Avenue and on West 7th Street, folks called her “Miss LaVerne.” Her grandchildren call her “nana” and, to their children, she is “nana-la-la.” She is “aunty” to family and to the children of those who are close to her family. Great nieces and nephews call her “la-la” because, when she sang to them as babies, she’d replace the words she couldn’t remember with la-la-la’s. She was a creative spirit who loved music of all kinds, craft projects, and all of the arts. LaVerne was coy, insightful, caring, persistent, and protective of those she loved. Most would say she was sweet, warm, and delightful but, if she got angry, her piercing sneer could injure your heart. Fortunately, she nearly always managed to smile. Everyone loved her smile, and she laughed like she was at a party.
Now laughing with her savior, LaVerne is preceded in death by her late husband; by one step-son, Andre Brown; her father; by her beloved aunt & uncle and five siblings. Her memory will be cherished by daughters, Zeta Wilkins (Ramone, Sr.) and Yvette Uter (Robert, II); by 4 bonus sons, Marvin Dennis (Renee), Carlos Brown (Sonya) and Frederick Brown; by a “practice” daughter/niece, Elice Cox (Kelvin, deceased); by two siblings and a very dear sister-in-love (Jean Nix, Benjamin Stewart, Sr., Deborah Ware Stewart) and a faithful and enduring prayer partner (Estelle Carr). Her legacy includes grand/step-grandchildren (Ebony, Ramone, Amelia, Sheila, Robert, Jeremiah, CJ, Socara, Tyree, Mariah, Seth Nova, Desember, DeVonne, Antorius, Justin); 4 great grand-children, a village of nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, many caring neighbors and church family members at the Greater Unity Missionary Baptist Church (where she dedicated her life to Christ), Open Door Missionary Baptist Church and Christ Baptist Church.
