CAL COMMUNITY: Betty Brown Tribute

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  A Tribute to Betty Brown

Darlene Huff, Diana Moxon, Patricia McIntosh Coles and Betty at the CAL Fundraising Tea

Betty and Kathy Walther at the Missouri Watercolor Society reception

Mayor Darwin Hindman and Betty Photo by Kyle Wayne Stewart/Missourian

Betty Brown loved to laugh. She loved to tell jokes, which she'd laugh uproariously at, even though she'd told them many times. And Betty didn't just chortle, she laughed with her whole self, her whole spirit. She told jokes so that you couldn't not laugh with her, even if you too had heard them many times. Whether it was because of her mischievous twinkle, or the way that she'd clutch your arm as she imparted her witticisms, or simply the compulsion of her joie de vivre, Betty brought radiance with her wherever she went. She was truly inimitable.

For all those who knew her, the loss of Betty on December 26th as a result of a stroke, is hard to comprehend. For such a diminutive lady, she had a personality that could fill a football stadium. She was involved in so many facets of the local community: a long-standing board member of the Columbia Art League, a sought-after docent at the Museum of Art & Archaeology, an active member of her church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a busy participant of the Kings Daughters and a frequent patron of the arts in Columbia, Fayette, Fulton and Arrow Rock. Nothing slowed Betty down, she raced through life like a teenager on roller-blades, making every minute of every day count.

Born in Ogden, Utah in 1924, Betty married Dr. Herb Brown in 1944, and the couple moved to Columbia from Salt Lake City in 1956. They never moved again, their home becoming a famous Columbia landmark, often referred to as the gingerbread-style house on the corner of West Boulevard and Ash. Making their picture book house even more captivating was their eternally immaculate, English garden: testament to both Betty and Herb's gardening skills and also their sheer, physical, hard work. But it was a labor of love for Betty, who loved to give tours of her garden and invite the Columbia Palette there to paint.

The Browns were also avid globe-trotters. Name a country and they'd been there. And whether at home or overseas, wherever Betty went she dispensed love. It was impossible to meet Betty without wanting to be her new best friend, and even though she had hundreds upon hundreds of friends, she had a way of always making you feel particularly special. I remember the day I first met Betty; it was at a party, and she arrived wearing a flamboyant pair of flowered jeans. As it so often did, the sound of her laughter preceded her appearance, and instantaneously I wanted to be her friend.

In her passing, Columbia has lost one of its brightest stars, and the art world one of its most avid supporters. I am comforted by the fact that whenever I think of Betty, I don't remember her with sadness, but rather I hear her laughter ringing in my head, and I know that for Betty, that is the legacy by which she would want us to remember her.

Diana Moxon

Betty's obituaries appear in The Columbia Missourian and The Columbia Daily Tribune.

  in praise of Betty

I didn’t know her – but I was present when she gave a personal tour to my son’s class during the Art of the Book exhibit last year at the MU Museum of Art & Archaeology. She was wonderful, and she held the students’ attention so well. I’ve attached a few photos I took of her that day. ...they capture a bit of her bright spirit and the reaction of these 4th and 5th graders to her stories and questions.

Marilyn C.

We all fell under the spell of Betty years ago & never lost it....she was ONE OF A KIND & will be sadly missed by all us art lovers!!! Love and peace,

Tomaso

To know Betty was to love her, and admire her!!! That infectious smile, her exuberance!!

My friend ... and I have often teased each other over the years, that we so loved what we do, like Betty - teaching others about art - that we only hoped to emulate her enthusiasm and experiences!!

She was a terrific role model for many art women in our community. She will be missed, her passing is a true loss for Columbia's cultural community.

Connie Z.

Betty leading a tour in the Museum of Art and Archaeology

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