As stated on the Welcome page, we are losing our beloved family members far too quickly. However, the realities of day-to-day life can in many ways preclude personal attendance at every memorial service. 

I am dedicating this page to the loved ones lost since 1999, listed in the order of departure.  In so doing we can all pay our respects in the best way we can, wherever we can.

Note: I have tried very hard to make the following images as clear and legible as possible but with limited success. If anyone would like to receive a copy of either document via email please send your request to me via email @ tony@rcoclaims.com.  

Also, it should be noted that I have limited this page to the direct descendants of Samuel E. Ewing and Fredrica Ewing. To expand the site to spouses, etc., would render the site unmanageable. 

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On March 11, 2024 we lost family member James “Jim or Jimmy” Brown. Befittingly born on Valentine’s Day in 1941, he was a loving soul and deeply loved by many.

 

As evidenced by the outpouring of love at his well-attended memorial service on March 24, Jim was at once deeply cared for and highly respected for his love of family and stellar career.

 

Please see below a copy of Jim’s complete, 12-page memorial service program. The program provides a detailed history of Jim’s personal and professional life and shares many of the touching farewell messages from his family members and friends.

 

Personally, there was special place in my heart for Jim. There was always a big smile and hug on those far too few occasions that we actually enjoyed each other’s company in person. I will truly miss him.  

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I am saddened to announce to our family at large yet another loss of a beloved family member, Claudette (Houston) Johnson.   

As described in detail in her obituary, Aunt Claudette was the granddaughter of Mama and Papa Brown, daughter of their eldest, Alice, and youngest sibling to Rose (my mom), Viola, and James.

It was my honor to attend her memorial service on March 21, 2022, poignantly the date of her 87th birthday. The outpouring of respect and adoration for Auntie from family and friends was abundant and heartfelt. Such is the unmistakable mark of a life well-lived. 

Job well done, Auntie. Job well done. May you rest in peace. 

Beloved family member Levana Faye (Ewing) Browne went "Up Yonder" on November 9, 2021 at the age of 93. Faye's passing was preceded by several family members including her mother, Levana G. Ewing, and father, Willie F. Ewing ("Uncle Willie"), son of Samuel and Fredrica Ewing. She was the last of seven children.  

Based upon my personal albeit limited knowledge of Faye together with comments from those who knew her best, no one could ask for a better life and a more loving family. I have attached below the complete program from her memorial service. The program shares with us her rich personal history and from each of her children glowing testimonials of love, respect, and reverance. 

Faye, you lived life well. You will be missed.    

For many of you I am once again the bearer of sad news. We have lost yet another beloved family member. It is only that I embrace the privilege of honoring our beloveds herein that I continue with this process. 

Shirley (Brown) Roberts was indeed a strong-willed and tenacious women -- as described below by her loved ones -- but she was nothing but warm and generous in her interactions with me. When I was on leave after USMC boot camp in 1968, and on occasion thereafter, we were often crashing at Uncle Buster's at the same time. I treasure the long talks we had and still smile at how she would chuckle at my mispronunciation of many of the L.A. street names, e.g., "See-pull-veeda."  Lord knows how I tortured "Lacienga." I was straight outta Texas.    

Shirley, on behalf of the planet Earth we thank you for spending some time with us. Rest in peace. 

Alan Cornel Robinson was the eldest offspring of Rose Robinson, herself the eldest offspring of Alice Brown, the eldest child of Anna and William Brown. He was born in Chicago, IL on June 16^th, 1946. He was 74 at the time of his death. He died of natural causes. 

Alan was preceded in passing by his mother and two of his siblings. Rose passed peacefully in 2016 at the age of 85. Robert “Butch” Robinson died as a decorated war hero in Viet Nam in 1968. He was only 20. Sandra “Sandi” Robinson died of an illness in 2006 at the age of 36. Anthony “Tony” Robinson is the only remaining member of this family, now age 70.
  
Shortly after Alan’s birth Rose returned to her hometown, Kansas City, MO, where Butch and Tony were born. In the mid 50’s Rose moved to Houston, TX, the birthplace of her mother, grandparents, and all of her mother's aunts and uncles. 

Alan is survived by his former wife, Maria Solano, and their three children, Robert Anthony Robinson (age 53), Chandra Dannette Robinson (49), and Estela Rene Robinson (46). Also left to mourn are his grandchildren Anthony Garrett Zane Robinson (17) and Isabelle Robinson (14). All continue to reside in the Portland, OR area where Alan and Maria met.   

Al will be remembered by those who knew him best as a kind, highly intelligent, highly literate, and prideful human being. He was an avid reader and a promising visual artist. His drawings and nuanced pastels were amazing.

His one-hour online memorial service can be viewed here:

To view all participants concurrently use (click or paste into your browser address bar): 

https://youtu.be/4gZ9s-wM6YQ

 
To focus on the person speaking or singing use: 

https://youtu.be/Z3kjpyZwxx4

Bill was the eldest offspring of Georgia and William "Buster" Brown, Jr., son of Fredricka and Samuel Ewing. He was very special to me as he was to many. He allowed me to crash  at his Laurel Canyon home for several weeks in 1969 while I transitioned from military life back to civilian. During this time, and beyond, we had many in-depth discussions that imparted jewels of wisdom that I continue to live by to this day. Having grown up without a father I consider Bill the single greatest male influence in my life; thank God I had the opportunity to tell him so.       

Although Hulene passed at age 94 many felt that it was too soon. She was the eldest offspring of Levana and Willie Ewing, Sr., son of Samuel and Fredricka Ewing. I did not know her well but according to many, that was my loss. 

All of my writings about the tragic loss of beloved family members has come full circle. I lost my mother on February 29, 2016. This was the most painful and life-altering experience of my life. In lay terms she died of old age, i.e., it was God's time for her. She was suffering from severe dementia, in constant pain, and had become incapable of caring for herself. I try to focus on the fact that she is now free of a failing body but this makes her loss no less painful. More than ever my heart goes out to all of you who have, or will, suffer a similar loss in the near term. May God bless our family and continue to watch over our loved ones in the after-life. For those of you who could not attend my mom's funeral you may view her memorial slide-show by cicking on the following link:  https://youtu.be/8gokkWj9aNk

Yet another tragic loss, Linda Daniels of Chicago has passed. She was still young and full of life. Although I had met Linda only a few times she was always kind and considerate. This impression of her was borne out by comments received from other family members. The recent loss of her mother and multiple siblings makes her sudden passing particularly jarring. I wish her well in her afterlife.

Walter Brown, Sr., "Uncle Walter" to hundreds of relatives, peacefully passed away in his sleep on November 3, 2014. His generous, caring, and colorful life left an enormous footprint in the lives of his many family members and friends. I have no doubt that stories about Uncle Walter will be told for generations to come. Godspeed Uncle.  
 

Yet another tragic loss in our family. Shirley Houston was the daughter of James Houston, Jr., son of Alice Brown, eldest offspring of Mama and Papa Brown. She was only 56 years young.
 

Gone too soon.

Tragically close to the loss of his sister, Claudette (Brown) Rainey (below), we lost Claude D. Brown, Jr. on June 8th, 2011. He was 63. His memorial service was beautiful. The many loving family members and friends in attendance grieved due to his passing yet rejoiced in his life.   

Most recently we have lost Claudette (Brown) Rainey, daughter of Claude Brown, son of Mama and Papa Brown. Her funeral services took place in Kansas City, MO in April 2010. I did not know her well but she was adored and respected by many. This is indeed another great loss.

We also lost James C. Houston, Jr. He passed away in March of this year. He was 76. Although he was my mother's biological brother (they were both born to Alice), they were separated due to different fathers and Alice's death while they were both small children. They found each after 50 years of separation and kept in constant contact until his death. It was obvious at his funeral that he was a very generous and kind father, grandfather, great grandfather, uncle, and friend to many. He, too, will be missed.

We lost Donald R. Brown in July of 2009. He was 70. I sincerely regret that I saw very little of him over the past 10 years.  

We lost William "Buster" Brown, Jr. in October of 2007. He was 94. Thank God many of us were blessed with his company at the July 2007 reunion. How perfect was it that the So. Cal location did not require him to travel. There were many testimonials at his funeral and repast of love, respect, and appreciation. 

A devastating loss to our family was the passing of Annabelle "Girlie" Brown Rice in 2002. She born to Mama and Papa Brown on January 12, 1920 in Houston, Texas. She was one of my closest and dearest relatives. As evidenced by her memorial service program, she was loved by many.