Hilda Brown

Hilda Frances Brown, 97, of Chaffee died Tuesday December 6, 2022, at St Francis Hospital after a brief bout with the flu.  She was a resident of Chaffee Nursing Center.   Hilda was born February 24, 1925 in Pine Bluff AR to Simon Darwin Brown and Rada Barnes Brown.   Hilda is survived by many loving friends including the staff of the Chaffee Nursing Center, cousins Danny and Evelyn Sturkie of Paragould AR, Barbara Clark of Scott City and babysitting protégé’s Tracie (JB) McClard and Heraleen (Bryan) Bowers.  Hilda was also an adopted grandmother to Adam and Bella Bowers.

Hilda’s mother proceeded her in death in 1941 and her father in 1960.  Hilda’s father was a railroader from Galatia IL.  Her mother was a cook on the boarding cars, which is where they met.   The family moved for her father’s job first to Pine Bluff AK and then in 1939 to Scott City, MO.

Hilda’s work centered around caring for others.  She was a certified nurse’s aide and worked at Heartland nursing home.  She did babysitting and live-in eldercare.   One of her former wards, Heraleen (Sprenger) Bowers, thought Hilda invented peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  Even after she learned Hilda wasn’t the first to make them, she still thought Hilda’s were the best.   Ever the guardian angel, Hilda kept a watchful eye on the neighborhood kids of Olive Street in old Illmo and helped keep the brawls in check.

Hilda’s hobbies included embroidery and piano playing.   She was of the Christian faith and a member of the Church of Christ during her years in Scott City.   From Olive Street, she moved into the Illmo housing during the 1990s and then to Chaffee Nursing Center in 2015 where she was treasured as “one of the sweetest ladies we’ve ever met” according to one staff member.

Friends may call from 9:00 am – 10:00 am on Saturday at the Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City.

Funeral Service will be at 10:00 am on Saturday at the chapel.

Burial will be at 1:30 pm at the Linwood Cemetery in Paragould, Arkansas.