Home Coming Celebration for Jeanette Brown Hawkins, Wednesday, November 13, 2002, 12:00 Noon, Services Entrusted to Wages & Sons Funeral Home, 1040 Main Street, Stone Mountain, GA 30086

B 1!1M: CiPl_,t Q~~
for
Wednesday, November 13, 2002 12:00 noon
Services Entrusted to Wages & Sons Funeral Home
1040 Main Street Stone Mountain, CA 30086

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_jeanette Brown Hawkins/ 63 of Lithonia/ c:;eorgia departed this earth on Friday/ November gth/ 2002.
she came into this Life on March 2e 13~ in crystaL/
west virginia to Loving parents/ the Late Thomas earnest and Bertha (Shepperson) Brown
_jeanette sewed for 24 years as a LegaL secretary for HarLem LegaL services in New york city. _jeanette moved to c:;eorgia to be cLose to her daughter and recuperate after her first heart surgery. In c:;eorgia/
_jeanette was empLoyed by severaL companies and post retirement she decided to work part-time for the Rich~ Department store.
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Memories o{Jeanette wiLL be cherished by her famiLy. _jeanette is preceded in death by her husband Thomas
Hawkins and her Life companion RLJbert PhiLLips:_)eanette
is survived by her three beLoved chiLdren/ curtis Brown/ Fernando HiLL and Deborah_johannes. sisters/ Mrs. c:;eneva RLJLLe of PennsyLvania/ ReV. HeLen simmons of Providence/ R.I./ Mrs. Deborah Brown Ingram and Ma;<ine Preston ofNew york city and synthia Brown. she is predeceased by a sister Doris Brown c:;rey and brother earnest Thomas Brown. she is aLso survived by seven (7) grandchiLdren and four (4) great grandchiLdren/ and a host ofnieces/ nephews/ cousins and many friends.

My Grandmother
Walk with me and listen as we celebrate the home going of my grandmother Glennon Jeanette Brown Hawkins. Forgive me Merna, I used your whole name. She did not like her first name Glennon, so much so that she decided never to use it.
For 16 years of my life, I have had the distinct pleasure of interacting with my grandmother, or Merna as I affectionately caller her, almost everyday of my life. Even when my mom and I left New York and moved to Georgia, with my grandparents soon to follow, we spoke quite often. I knew my Merna well.
She introduced to me for the first time at four weeks of age, the love of fish, mashed potatoes and collard greens. She helped me developed my love of sports when she used to practice with me throwing and catching baseballs at the age of four. I have never celebrated a birthday without her being around.
For those of you that knew her, hell is missing an angel because she is shaking up heaven as we speak to let us know she has arrived. My Memo was a strong spirited woman who held nothing back. Perhaps the only time she was what people would call on her "best behavior" was when my mother would hold her hand at church. Even the employees and customer of Rich's Department store knew how difficult it was for my Merna to hold her tongue. She spoke what was on her mind, when it was on her mind, whether you liked it or not.

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She could cut you down and maIke you mad, all
at the same time with a smile pn her face. To
be nice about it, she had a strong knowledge &
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use of profanity- - but she ha1 a heart of
GOLD!
I always knew that her tough persona was to hide the fact that she was a vfry sensitive person. My Mema helped me ~ lot with dealing with multiple personalities. Tml rough out the many illnesses and operations, my Mema has endured over the past seven years, her winning spirit always came thrp1ugh. You see my Mema always had to have ~er way. I'm sure her passing was even on Jer terms.
My older family members mig ~t be able to tell you about the Jeanette that would tell you what part of her anatomy to kliss or share with you the number of times f he has stopped speaking with them, but the wr.man I knew was nice as any grandmother couldl be. Nice when she wanted to be and difficulf as can be... but loving me completely ever day of my life.

Expressions of T,hanks
The famiLy o{Jeanette Brown t-awleins is gratefuL beyond measure for the
generous outpouring ofthe mawy expressions oftender Loving sympathetic coi/L-Cern.
we flnd great comfort in lei/L-Owing that we are //L-Ot aLone during this diftflcu.Lt time. we thank you. so much for shari~ our burden.
May the choicest bLessings of ALmighty Cjod be in your hearts
abundantLy. you. are invited to Lu.I/L-Ch and1 feLLowship
immediateLy 1 foLLowing the MemoriaL sewices at
the home of _jeanette~ daughter-;
Debora h_johannes.

Don't grieve for me Fo'r now I'm free
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God saw thk road was getting rough I'm followin~ the path God laidfor me I took His hand when !.heard Him call
I turned fny back and left it all I could not stay another day
to laugh, to love, to work, or play tasks left undone must stay that way. The weary hours, the days ofpain,
The sleep,less nights are passed.
Ifmy pJrting has left a void
then fill it with rememberedjoy a friendship shared, a laugh a kiss
ah yes, these L too, will miss. My life has been full, I savored much good friends, go'pd times, a loved ones touch perhaps my fime seemed all too brief don't lengthin it now with undo grief light up you~ heart and share with me God wants m!e now....he set me FREE!