Celebration of the life and legacy of Mrs. Myrtle Louise Johnson Brown will go forth Saturday, April 9, 2016; 11:00 a.m. at the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church of Leesville, LA where the Rev. Joseph Garner is Pastor. Burial will follow in the Leesville Memorial Cemetery on Pines Road.

Myrtle Louise Johnson Brown, was born on November 25, 1922, in the rural area of Victoria, Louisiana near present day Provencal, Louisiana. She was the last child for five (5) born to Mary Pratt Johnson and Irvin Johnson. She was christened at the local Pentecostal Church. Her family moved to Fisher, Louisiana, when her father took a job at the local sawmill, Louisiana Longleaf Lumber Company, which is now known as Louisiana Pacific.

Myrtle attended the local elementary school in Fisher and later graduated from high school at the Sabine Parish Training School in Many, Louisiana. She loved fashion and poetry and often shared her poems and sense of style with family and friends. She loved learning and was an excellent student. She often challenged her own children, by showing them her report cards when she was in school.

She married Ornner Brown on March 25, 1942 and shortly thereafter he was drafted into the United States Army and stationed in England.. During the time Ornner was away serving his country, Myrtle gave birth to the first of four children, Ornner Brown Jr.. He was christened at Mr. Zion United Methodist Church in Leesville, Louisiana and reared by his paternal grandparents, Carrie & Sam Brown. Myrtle lived with her brother, Jabe Johnson and his wife Mary Lou Seymour Johnson in Fisher, La. until she reunited with her husband and moved to Leesville, La. in 1946.

The rest of her immediate family moved as well and relocated to Chicago, Illinois and Houston, Texas with the exception of her father Irvin, who died when Myrtle was six years old. Her mother Mary lived with Ornner and Myrtle in Leesville until her death in 1949. Both of her parents are buried in Many, Louisiana.

She was an active member of the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, where she was baptized in 1952 and was a greeter, and teacher of the Sunday school Beginners, Primary & Adult Women classes for over 25 years.

In 1972, Myrtle returned to school and received her certification in Nursing from the Vernon Vocational Technical School. She worked in this field until her retirement in 1986. She also was a member and office holder of the Heroine Chapter of the Eastern Star #71 and Amaranth Court and the American Legion Post Auxiliary #510. She volunteered for numerous community activities and events. In January 2012, the Vernon Parish King Day Coalition recognized her as a one of the five recipients of the 2012 Community Service Award. But, one organization took a special place in her heart, the Central Louisiana Girl Scout Council. Myrtle's guidance and training as a troop leader influenced and impacted not only her daughters' lives, but also the lives of other young girls who were members of Troop #171.

She was preceded in death by her husband of seventy-one years, Ornner Brown, Sr., her sister, Mildred Johnson Dixon; brothers Jabe Johnson, Lloyd Johnson, and Elmo Johnson.

Her sister, Mildred Johnson Dixon; brothers Jabe Johnson, Lloyd Johnson, and Elmo Johnson preceded her in death.

She departed this life at home on March 29, 2016 while in the care of her daughter, Marilynn. She leaves to mourn, sons, Ornner Brown, Jr. of Leesville, La. and Douglas L Brown of Austin, TX., daughters, Charlotte B. Westle (Arthur) of Urbana, IL. and Marilynn B. Palmer (Michael) of Leesville, La., grandsons, Marlon L. Palmer of Baton Rouge, La. & Marcus J. Palmer of Leesville, La. and a host of nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends. She will be greatly missed, but long remembered by all of those who knew and truly loved her.