Blanche Cecelia Brown, 84, went home to be with her Lord November 24, 2017, at the Carnegie Village Rehabilitation Center in Belton, Missouri. Funeral services were held Sunday, November 26 at the Atkinson Funeral Home in Harrisonville with burial in Orient Cemetery, Harrisonville. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Rachel House, 1260 NE Windsor Drive Lee's Summit, MO 64086 or Hope House, P.O. Box 577, Lee's Summit, MO 64063.

Cecelia loved Jesus, Lon, family, other people, flowers, and poetry. She loved to pray for others and write encouraging notes. Her sweet smile and peaceful countenance was a magnet to the lonely and hurting. Cecelia was born March 15, 1933 in Mobile, Alabama to George William and Madge Branche (Dickens) Doby. She was married to Lon Bernard Brown on August 22, 1954 in Waynesboro, Mississippi. Before starting a long career as a domestic engineer, she graduated college and became a school teacher.

Cecelia was preceded in death by her parents, and two brothers, Kenneth Doby and George Doby, Jr. She is survived by her husband, Lon Bernard Brown; children, Julia Annette Brown, Gary Lon Brown, Lloyd Neal Brown, and Duane Kendall Brown; grandchildren, Melissa Nicole Brown, Alexandria Elizabeth Brown, Ryan Keith Brown, Angela Mackenzie Brown, Colin Matthew Brown, Marissa Olivia Brown, Lillith Nicole Monroe, and Annabella Grace Monroe; great-grandchildren, Zane Brown and Silas Brown.