Mazie Louise (Roper) Brown

Mrs. Mazie Louise Brown, 72, of Lilburn, Georgia passed away on Thursday, July 29, 2021 surrounded by her loving family.

A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, August 7, 2021 at 1:00 PM at Hickory Log Baptist Church, 179 Belletta Drive, Canton, Georgia 30114. The body will lie in state in the church from 12:00PM (Noon) until the hour of service. Interment will follow in Cherokee Memorial Park Cemetery, 120 Memorial Drive, Canton, Georgia 30114. Please keep this family in your prayers as they go through this time of bereavement.

Due to COVID-19 regulations and guidelines,physical distancing practices will be in place, and MASK ARE REQUIRED for those that will be admitted to the service. The family is the main concern during this time of bereavement and pace will be limited. We have to ensure the family is able to attend the service so there is a possibility of some friends not being admitted. However, the service will be LIVE-STREAMED.

On July 29, 2021, Mazie Louise Brown answered the Master's call to rest at the age of 72. Her mother, father, sister, and brother were waiting her arrival.
Mazie or Spicky, as many of us lovingly knew her, was born on July 11, 1949 in Cherokee County, Canton, Georgia to the late Teotis and Annie Mae Roper, and was the second oldest of three. She attended Cherokee County Training School (elementary), Ralph J. Bunche High School, where she graduated as Valedictorian, Fort Valley State University (B.A. in Sociology), and Tuskegee University (M.A. in Personnel Services).

Mazie loved the Lord and joined Hickory Log Baptist Church at a young age, under the leadership of Rev. R. R. Freeman. She was a dedicated daughter, sister, mother, and aunt. She was a very sweet, loving, kind, quiet, and friendly person. Mazie took pride in her appearance, work ethics, and most importantly, being herself and devoted to her family.
While attending Fort Valley State University (FVSU), she was introduced to her husband, James, also a student at FVSU. Three years later, while James was attending graduate school at Tuskegee University (TU), they decided to unite in matrimony, January 30, 1971. During this time at TU, James was drafted into the United States Army, stationed at Fort Ord, California
where their first child, Wysteria, was born on April 7, 1972. Upon completion of his 3-year military obligation in August, 1974, they returned to TU where both, James and Mazie received their Masters’ Degrees, respectively, in August, 1975. While at TU, James completed the military ROTC Program and entered the military reserves where he served for 20 years and retired at the rank of major. Upon completion of their degrees at TU, James accepted a job in Knoxville, Tennessee with the Tennessee Valley Authority as a botanist, where they resided for five years.
During this time, a son, James E. Brown, II, was born to the union of James and Mazie prematurely and lived only a few hours, and Candace, their youngest daughter, was born June 5, 1978, Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

After accepting a research assistantship at the University of Illinois where James received his doctorate degree in horticulture, they returned to TU, where Dr. Brown worked as a Horticultural Specialist for one and one- half years before accepting an assistant professor’s job at Auburn University as a Vegetable Physiologist. During this time, Mazie worked at TU several years as a Job Corp Instructor. Also, Mazie served as a devoted First Lady and Church Administrator for several years supporting her husband as Pastor of two Churches, Community Missionary Baptist and Cornerstone Missionary Baptist, respectively, of Opelika, Alabama, for more than 25 years.

After 25 years of service at Auburn University, Dr. Brown retired as Emeritus Professor of Horticulture on July 30, 2009, and immediately accepted a job at FVSU, where he is now employed as Professor Emeritus of Horticulture and Interim Program Leader for Agriculture and Natural Resources, College of Agriculture, Family Sciences and Technology. Mazie, job well done!

Mazie leaves to cherish her memories, a loving and devoted husband, Reverend Dr. James E. Brown, two daughters, Wysteria (Johnny) Toombs and Candace L. Brown of Atlanta, Georgia; nieces, Pico Riley, Melissa Elam (Ernie); nephew, Brandon J. Roper (TaQuita); great nieces, Ashlee and Ebonee Allen; great- great nephew, Malik Avery Roper; great-great niece, Aliza Jarvis; and a host of other relatives and friends who loved her.

Condolences may be expressed at: www.mackeppingerfuneralhome.com

Mack Eppinger and Sons Funeral Service, Inc. are in charge of the arrangements.

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