Lavon (McCormack) Brown July 9, 1932 ~ June 19, 2023 (age 90)

Funeral services for Lavon Brown, 90, of Portales, will be held at 2:00 PM, Sat., June 24, 2023 in the Wheeler Mortuary Chapel with Rev. Liz Kirkwood officiating.  Burial will follow in the Portales Cemetery with her grandsons and great-grandsons serving as pallbearers.  All of her other grandchildren will be honorary pallbearers.  The family will receive guests at the funeral home on Friday evening from 6 until 8 PM.  The family wishes to express their deep gratitude to the staff of the Beehive Home for their attentive care for the past four years.

Lavon Brown was born July 9, 1932 in Rogers, NM to the home of Gussie (Escue) and George McCormack, and passed from this life on the morning of June 19, 2023 in Portales.  Mrs. Brown graduated form Dora High School in 1948, and went on to attend Eastern New Mexico University where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education.  She later gained a Master’s Degree in Counseling.

On Feb. 7, 1951, she married Elton Brown.  They made their home in Portales, NM with the exception where she taught for three years in Lovington, NM.  At that time, she was offered a position at Lindsey Elementary School in Portales.  While there she taught first grade and later third grade.  When R. M. James Elementary School was opened in the early 1960’s, she began teaching fifth grade and acting as school counselor.  Mrs. Brown retired in 1985 after more than a 30-year career in education.  She was a member of the Retired Teacher’s Association, and was inducted into the New Mexico Education Hall of Fame in 1990.

After retirement, she enjoyed being grandmother and great-grandmother.  She and her husband traveled wherever her grandchildren were competing in track meets, rodeos, football, basketball, or baseball or anything else in which they were involved.  They hardly missed a single event.

In addition, she was a lifelong member of the First United Methodist Church where she was involved in the activities of the United Methodist Women.  She taught King’s Kids, helped with the annual Turkey Dinner, and served in countless other capacities.

She and Elton were members of the Conestoga Good Sam’s Club and traveled extensively with their friends.  They also belonged to the Cotillion Club, where they enjoyed the fellowship and dancing.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Donna and Mike Woolley of Portales; her daughter-in-law, Susie (Mrs. Mack) Brown of Santa Fe, NM; 13 grandchildren, Stacey, Michael Woolley, Nathan Brown, Marissa (Nate) Hyde, Sean (Erica) Brown, Andrea Brown, Greg (Leah) Price, Allison (Russell) Craig, Kimberly (John) Latham, Kelly DeLaRosa, Kari Jones, Matthew (Kelly Jo) Parkey, and Garrett Price; 17 great-grandchildren, Hunter (Brock) Dearing, Madison Haley and her fiancé (Toby Lee), Will Haley, Austin Hyde, Harrison Brown, Henry, Lucy and Oliver Price, Matthew and Maydelle Latham, Alexus, Mariah and Rylee Craig, Joe and Jeremiah DeLaRosa, James and Khy Parkey; and one great-great-granddaughter, Baylor Rae Lee.  She was preceded in death by her parents, her only sister, Madelle Jones, her son Mack Brown who died Feb. 1, 2012, great-granddaughter, Danielle Parkey and by her beloved husband, Elton who died Mar. 25, 2012.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to the First United Methodist Church of Portales general fund.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Lavon (McCormack) Brown, please visit our floral store.