Martha Eleanor RYAN

1928 - 2011  (82 years)

• Name	Martha Eleanor RYAN  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
  Birth	4 Oct 1928	Miami, Florida
  Gender	Female
  HIST	of Wedgefield, South Carolina Martha Brown Print Posted: Friday, February 4, 2011 6:00 am | Updated: 3:48 pm, Thu Feb 3, 2011. WEDGEFIELD -- On Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011, God called home his daughter, Martha Eleanor Ryan Brown of Wedgefield. Martha, born Oct. 4, 1928, in Miami, Fla., was a daughter of the late Cornelius McLaurin Ryan and Charlotte Eleanor Laird Ryan, formerly of Wedgefield. She loved her family and her family of animals -- horses, dogs, cats, chickens, and other wildlife that peacefully co-existed with her and her husband of nearly 60 years, Rufus Byron Brown Jr., at "Tipperary," their country home in Wedgefield. Martha was a devoted wife, mother, talented artist and business woman. She was a Cub Scout leader in the Wedgefield community for many years. She supported the Boy Scouts, raised an Eagle Scout, and helped instill the importance of Scouting in others. The spirit of the Boy Scouts' motto "Be Prepared" is lived out in the family today. Martha was a gifted artist and taught painting in her home for many years. She raised her children and grandchildren to appreciate color, art and life in all of its forms. She loved to spend time along the coast and shared her penchant for shell collecting with her daughters. She loved music of all kinds. She also loved to garden, swim, read, and to sit outside as the sun was setting and commune with God in nature. She was an incredible cook and had dead-aim with a pistol. She was a straight-shooter in every sense of the word. Martha was a member of Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Stateburg for nearly 52 years, where she was one of the first females ever elected to the church's vestry. She also served as a Sunday school teacher, was a member of the Episcopal Church Women and Altar Guild. She taught her children and grandchildren about Jesus and what it means to serve the Lord. Family ties meant the world to Martha. She had an entrepreneurial spirit, helping to start what are now three closely-held corporations, which are seeing their third-generation of family management. For 30 years, Martha and Byron worked side by side, watching their companies thrive, then retiring after turning them over to be owned and operated by their children. After retirement, Martha enjoyed spending the summer months at their cabin, "Serendipity," in the mountains of western North Carolina. There she kept a wonderful home and surrounding gardens, entertaining family and friends, and sharing with those who visited about the culture and history of the area. Martha and Byron served for nearly seven years at the Haywood County Christian Ministry in downtown Waynesville, N.C. Martha enjoyed her friends greatly, possessed a sharp wit, loved to laugh and had a unique capacity to make others do the same, no matter what the situation. She had a generous heart and nature and will be greatly missed by a large and loving family who will continue her legacy of loving God and sharing that love with friends and strangers alike. Remaining to carry on that work is her husband, Rufus Byron Brown Jr. of Wedgefield; one son, Rufus Byron Brown III and daughter-in-law, Melanie Johnson Brown, of Augusta, Ga.; and two daughters, Charlotte Ryan Brown Floyd and son-in-law, Michael Davis Floyd, of Ridgeway and Martha Percival Brown and her partner, Elaine Montano, of Augusta. Also, five devoted grandchildren and two great-grandchildren: grandson, Michael Patrick Floyd and his daughter, Margaret Ryan Floyd, of Columbia; grandson, Christopher Laird Floyd of Wedgefield; granddaughter, Elizabeth Ryan Floyd of Ridgeway; grandson, Rufus Byron Brown IV and his wife, Jennifer Bays Brown, and their daughter, Taylor Madison Brown, of Charlotte, N.C.; granddaughter, Lauren Brown Hopkins and her husband, Lewis LeGrand Hopkins III, of St. Simons Island, Ga.; and many "grand-kitties" and "grand-doggies." She was preceded in death by her brother, Cornelius McLaurin Ryan Jr. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at The Episcopal Church of the Holy Cross at Stateburg with Father Tommy Allen officiating. Burial will be in the Wedgefield Presbyterian Church cemetery. Following the interment, the family will receive guests at the home located at 6550 Tipperary Lane, Wedgefield. The family expresses their gratitude to all of Martha's loving caregivers. Memorials may be sent to The Episcopal Church of the Holy Cross, 335 N. Kings Highway, Sumter, SC 29154; to The Episcopal Relief Development; or to the SPCA, 1140 S. Guignard Drive, Sumter, SC 29150. "Let us go forth to love and serve the Lord! Thanks be to God!" Online condolences may be sent to www.sumterfunerals.com. Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad St., Sumter, is in charge of the arrangements, (803) 775-9386. Posted in Obituaries on Friday, February 4, 2011  [1, 3]
  _UID	9668220E285F4A408319617D0B3C29123BE5
  Death	2 Feb 2011
  Burial	5 Feb 2011	Wedgefield Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Wedgefield, Sumter County, South Carolina   [3]
  	Elmore-Hill-McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, Sumter, South Carolina
  Person ID	I138911	Singleton and Related Families
  Last Modified	29 May 2013

  
  

  Father	Cornelius McLaurin RYAN, Sr.   d. Bef 2 Feb 2011
  Mother	Charlotte Eleanor LAIRD   d. Bef 2 Feb 2011
  _UID	A0B3A4C4419E4E71A9CC885A0A054BDAE4B9
  _UID	A0B3A4C4419E4E71A9CC885A0A054BDAE4B9
  Family ID	F59617	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Rufus Byron BROWN, Jr.,   b. 1927, Yazoo City, Mississippi d. 27 May 2013 (Age 86 years)
  Marriage	Abt 1950  [3]
  _UID	E4976AFD766C429AAA52E750B4D1AB303339
  _UID	E4976AFD766C429AAA52E750B4D1AB303339
  Children	1. Charlotte Ryan BROWN   2. Martha Percival BROWN   3. Rufus Byron BROWN, III
  Family ID	F95420	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	7 Feb 2011

  
  

• Sources

  [S4062] Cornelius M. Ryan Jr. [S4226] Byron Brown BBrown7152@aol.com, Re: Elizabeth McLaurin Ryan peregree. [S15544] Martha Brown. [S16749] Livingston-Floyd. [S19610] Rufus B. Brown Jr.