Carolyn Sue Brown, age 75, of Xenia, Illinois, passed away Sunday, May 14, 2017, at her home in Xenia.

   Sue was born October 12, 1941, in Champaign, the daughter of Wayne and Arista (Lane) Fitzjarrald.  She married James Brown on October 11, 1959, at the Shiloh Church.  Sue worked at Silgan Plastics, retiring in 2005.  She was a wonderful cook; making noodles and pies, and sharing with anyone who came to visit.  No one ever left her kitchen hungry.  She sewed beautiful dresses for her daughters and granddaughters and loved to visit fabric shops for new ideas.  She loved to take walks and look for pretty rocks and Indian beads that would later decorate her home and flower gardens.  Many times she brought rocks home as souvenirs from vacations and camping trips and received many from loved ones after their trips.  Sue enjoyed being outside on her deck or in her gardens and spent many hours visiting with friends and relatives and teaching her grandchildren and great-grandchildren the proper way to put out a garden.  She loved growing irises, daylilies, surprise lilies, and clematis.  She also enjoyed spending time in the woods hunting for mushrooms, picking wildflowers, and just exploring and adventuring with her family.  Her love for her husband was the example for all her family.  She loved him more than anything else, and every look and expression between them reflected that love.  She always said she married the best, and that was evident to everyone who knew them.

   She is survived by her husband: James Brown of Xenia; 2 daughters: Tammy Boose (husband Robert) of Xenia and Lisa Broadway (husband Doug) of Olympia, WA; 5 grandchildren: Stephanie Mitchell (husband Ryan) of Effingham, Chad Schwaninger (fiancée Kim) of Hastings, FL, Bethany Stuemke (husband Chet) of St. Elmo, Gregory Boose of Xenia, and Savannah Broadway of Olympia, WA; 7 great-grandchildren: Tysha, Ashlyn, Keatan, and Kierstan Schwaninger; Joanna and Nora Mitchell; and Carder Stuemke; 5 siblings: Donald Fitzjarrald (wife Margaret) of Martinsville, Barbara Ford (husband Carroll) of Kinmundy, Charles Fitzjarrald (wife Anita) and Carl Fitzjarrald (wife Vicky) both of Kansas, IL, and Ross Fitzjarrald (wife Gayla) of Xenia.  She was preceded in death by her parents: Wayne and Arista (Lane) Fitzjarrald; 2 sisters: Kay Cooper and Delores Fitzjarrald; and son-in-law: Brent Schwaninger.

   A funeral service for Sue Brown will be 1 p.m. Thursday, May 18, 2017, at Frank & Bright Funeral Home, Flora, with visitation from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Thursday at the funeral home.  Interment will be in the Oak Mound Cemetery, Xenia.  Memorials may be given to the local Disabled American Veterans (D.A.V.) and will be accepted at the funeral home.