Helen Margaret (Dittus) Brown

Helen Margaret Brown, 91, of Sebring, Ohio passed away at 3:27 pm on Friday, December 25, 2020 at Crandall Medical Center at Copeland Oaks which had been her home for over 21 years. She was born on November 10, 1929 as the only child of Leslie and Bonnie Dittus in the Kenton, Ohio area. She graduated from Kenton High School in 1947 and pursued her college degree at Marion College in Indiana. After a year there she returned to Ohio where she attended Ohio Northern University, graduating in 1951 with a Bachelor of Science in Education. It was at Ohio Northern University that she met her future husband Rev. Walter Paul Brown whom she married on August 17, 1951. She loved teaching all ages but especially loved the third grade classes that she had over the years because they understood her jokes. As a pastor's wife she got to experience many things, including moving to new areas mostly in rural Ohio. She was a supportive and encouraging wife and helpmate over the years as they served charges in Stafford, Sonora, Pleasant Grove, Hannibal, North Fairfield, New Haven, Marengo-Fulton as well as living in New Concord and Bethesda. Each move meant finding a new school where she could share her talents as an elementary teacher. Helen loved deeply and had a very compassionate heart. One of her many gifts was creativity, which she shared with yearly homemade Christmas cards and the annual Brown Daze newsletter. Over the years she shared her artistic abilities with others through watercolors, quilting, counted cross stitch, and embroidery, as well as creating beautiful greeting cards. She loved reading and had a notebook recording every book she had read from 1949 to 2017. During her lifetime she was involved in many groups including PTA, AAUW and UMW, as well as attending many Minister's Wives retreats. She was happiest when she was with friends and family. During her time at Copeland Oaks she loved volunteering in the library and being a part of the Chorale. Survivors include her children: Paula (Carl) Archdeacon of Newark, Ohio, Chris (Shari) Brown of Ashland, Ohio, Mark Brown of Yuma, Arizona and Beth Ann (Chris) Chiles of Brevard, North Carolina. She is survived by six grandchildren: Thomas (Kristin Proctor) Archdeacon of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Carla Jo (Christopher) Morris of Newark, Ohio, Rachael (Nathan) Youmans of Sparks, Nevada, Micah (Wendy Hu) Chiles of Jersey City, New Jersey, Rebekah Brown of San Diego, California and Aaron (Erin Maxwell) Chiles of Raleigh, North Carolina. She also was the proud great grandma to Harper Morris and Theodore Hu Chiles. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Paul, in 1994 and her parents, Leslie and Bonnie Dittus in 1980 and 1993 respectively. A celebration of life will be held at a later date due to health safety concerns. The family is being served by Gednetz - Ruzek - Brown Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to Copeland Life Care Fund at THE OAKS FOUNDATION 715 S. Johnson Rd. Sebring, OH 44672 or to Christ United Methodist Church, 470 East Broadway Street, Alliance, OH 44601.