Audrey Christian Brown
Audrey Christian Brown, 94, peacefully passed on Sunday, August 21, 2022.
Born on a dairy farm on Dietz Road, January 15, 1928, she observed hard work and a commitment to altruism during the Depression as her father, County Commissioner Tom W. Christian, gave work and milk to those in need. Just as he was instrumental in building Tri-County Hospital (Hutcheson), she, too, would build wherever she went. Even with debilitating arthritis, blindness, and recent falls, her tenacity, charm, and humor shone through.
Teaching business education at Lakeview High School from 1948 to 1966, Audrey, a beloved teacher, originated many of the most cherished traditions that exist to this day. She sponsored: the annual, the Echo, Tri-Hi-Y, senior class, Washington tours, junior plays, senior plays, F.B.L.A, etc. She developed “Class Night” which still achieves its original purpose. Dedications of the annual, “Teacher of the Year” awards, Catoosa County Community Service Award, Georgia Business Education Teachers’ Excellence Awards were fitting tributes, but it is the hundreds of heartfelt cards and letters sent by her former students over the years that reveal the level of encouragement she gave to so many. She wanted the hundreds who attended her ninetieth birthday dearly thanked for “allowing her to attend her own wake.”
In addition to helping grow Lakeview High School, she and her husband, Lloyd, were charter members of a new church that met on a bus. In 1952, she and Lloyd put up their own home as collateral for the financial loans that would soon launch Fort Oglethorpe First Baptist where she would again build a youth program along with everything from singing in the choir to typing and “mimeographing” the bulletin every Saturday night for over a decade. During this time she also obtained a Master’s Degree (Cum Laude) from the University of Chattanooga.
In 1966 she moved to Avondale High School, near Decatur, where again her students won state competitions, she sponsored the newspaper, The Blue Star, and received teacher awards from students. She also earned an Educational Specialist Degree from Georgia State and taught at DeKalb Community College. After eight years at Avondale, she was one of four teachers in DeKalb County selected to train master teachers and help beginning teachers reach their potential. She worked with twenty-five high schools as an evaluator of new teachers from 1973 until 1983. During 1988-1990, after holding numerous district and state offices, Audrey was elected Georgia State President of Alpha Delta Kappa, an International honorary society designed to recognize outstanding women educators. She was an outstanding speaker and workshop leader traveling the entire state numerous times to develop altruistic and scholarship programs. Lloyd was by her side every mile.
After retiring back to Catoosa County, she taught the Lydia Class at Fort Oglethorpe First Baptist for 17 years. She loved spending countless hours studying the scripture and bringing her famous blueberry cake and deviled eggs to church events. She was faithful to knock on doors during Thursday night visitation, to take weekly meals to the elderly, and to constantly encourage members of her class in countless ways. She also adored the time spent with granddaughters, applauding their thriving in various settings. She was proud of the enormous contributions they came to make to their own communities as they grew in leadership roles. They were her “sunshines”, and she rejoiced they followed her mother’s legacy, “to whom much is given, much is required.”
In lieu of flowers, Audrey asked for contributions to the local Catoosa GA chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa Scholarship Fund which will support local high school students who want to be teachers. Please send to: CT Turner, 282 Gladstone Avenue, Ringgold, GA 30736.
Heartfelt thanks to Amedisys North Georgia and Hospice of Chattanooga.
She was preceded in death by Lloyd L Brown, Jr.; father, Thomas Watson Christian, mother, Mary Gladys Thorne, and sister Mildred Chapman (James)
She is survived by her daughter, Christian Brown Cundiff (Gary), granddaughters, Heather Schmidt (Michael) and Caitlin ten Lohuis (Rogier); much loved great-grandsons, Luke and Ryan Schmidt; great-granddaughter, Marlies Audrey ten Lohuis; nephew Richard Chapman (Pat) and niece Kay King (Tim).
Visitation is at Heritage Funeral Home on Battlefield Parkway from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 26. Graveside services will be at National Cemetery at 2 p.m., with Ronnie Born and Rev. Jason Thomas officiating.