Orson Pratt Brown - Life, Times, Family

I MARTHA HELEN BROWN DAVIS 1935-2008MMAR

Compiled by Lucy Brown Archer

Obituary submitted by Hurvie Edgar Davis Sr., Martha's husband:

Martha Helen Brown Davis has peacefully returned home. Yet her beautiful smile, her infectious laughter, and her passion for life will always stay with us. Though Martha and her devoted husband, Hurvie Davis, spent nearly all of their 28 years of marriage together in Tucson, AZ,

Martha was born in El Paso, Texas. She was the eldest daughter of Thomas Patrick Brown (1907-1978) and Julia Porras de Cardenas Brown (1905-1986). Throughout her life Martha continued to lovingly care for her step-brother, Roberto Lorenzo Vasquez, and her younger brothers and sisters; Nancy Porras Davey, Dolores Perches, Tom Brown, and Fred Brown (deceased). She considered their children her own and loved her nieces and nephews deeply.

Juliana Porras de Cardenas Brown c. 1946 with her children Martha Helen, Federico, Nancy Jane, Dolores, and Thomas Jr. Inset is Juliana's husband Porfirio Diaz Galbraith Brown aka Thomas Patrick Brown.

Martha raised her four children in San Diego and is beloved by each: Yvonne Whitt Schultz (husband, John), Linda Whitt Toft Simpson, Rick R. Parker Sr. (wife, Maren), and Rebecca L. Cressman (husband, Dale). She is also survived by her three stepchildren: Brian, Steve (wife, Jackie), and Greg Davis (wife, Wendy) whose own children added to Martha's greatest treasures, her grandchildren: Laura, Vanessa, Aaron, Julia, Brad, Nick, Laurin, Taylor, Madison, McKenna, Olivia, Troy, Parker, Mikel, Jonathon, Michael, Melissa, Megan, and great-grandson, Isaiah. Martha worked for many years at San Diego State University Foundation and later retired from University of Arizona's Sponsored Projects. Martha developed life-long friends through work and service in art councils, choral groups, the LDS church, and in the Tucson/Marana communities. Her friendships were cherished and became a part of her ever-widening family.

Martha passed away from breast cancer but the disease did not take away her life. During the eight years she fought the disease, she loved music, dancing, and reading. She also threw parties, nurtured her loved ones, reconnected with lost family through genealogy, traveled across the country and the world, and never gave up finding joy in one more day of life.

A special thank you to Dr. Jeffrey Selwyn, Dr. Raymond Taetle, Dr. Michael Manning, Mary Lynn Miners, and staff for their years of dedication and compassionate care. To honor Martha's love of life, in lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Animal Crusaders of Arizona,

www.ACofAZ.com, or to TMC Hospice Foundation at 5301 E. Grant Rd., Tucson, AZ, 85712.

A visitation will be held for family and friends at Desert Sunset Funeral Home at 3081 West Orange Grove Rd, Thursday, October 30, 2008 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Funeral Services and a reception to celebrate Martha's life will be held on Friday, Ocober 31, 2008 at 12:00 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Tucson North Stake Center at 939 West Chapala Dr., Tucson, AZ. Internment will follow at Binghampton Cemetery. (Alvernon and River Rds).

Children of Martha Helen Brown & James Garfield Whitt, Jr.

Yvonne Laura Whitt

Born: 30 Sept in Guam, Mariana Island

Married: (1) Lauro Diaz Jr. (2) John Richard Schultz

Died:

Linda Susan Whitt

Born: 29 Aug in El Paso, El Paso, Texas

Married: (1)Alan Toft, (2) Lee Simpson

Died:

Children of Martha Helen Brown & Richard Randal Parker, Sr.

Richard Randall Parker, Jr

Born: 8 June 1963 at San Diego, San Diego, California

Married: (1) Kristin Layne Hombs, (2) Maren Robison Sorenson

Died:

Rebecca Lynn Parker

Born: 25 May 1965 at San Diego, San Diego, California

Married: 15 Oct 1988 to Dale Cressman

Died:

Children of Martha Helen Brown & Hurvie E. Davis

Brian Davis

Born:

Married:

Died:

Steve Davis

Born:

Married: Jackie

Died:

Greg Davis

Born: c. 1967

Married: Wendy

Died:

Martha Helen and Hurvie Davis married June 6, 1981
Hurvie and Martha and Family c. 1967

Martha Brown Davis in early 2008

Dear Martha, We Miss You Very Much! You Added Much Warmth and Happiness to Each of Our Lives......

Sources:

PAF - Archer Files = Orson Pratt Brown + Jane Bodily Galbraith > Thomas Patrick Brown + Julianna Porras de Cardenas > Martha Helen Brown.

Photos of Martha and family courtesy of Hurvie Davis Sr.

Additions, photos, bold, [bracketed information], etc. added by Lucy Brown Archer.

Martha Helen Brown Davis

Children of Martha Helen Brown & James Garfield Whitt, Jr.

Yvonne Laura Whitt

Linda Susan Whitt

Children of Martha Helen Brown & Richard Randal Parker, Sr.

Richard Randall Parker, Jr

Rebecca Lynn Parker

Children of Martha Helen Brown & Hurvie E. Davis

Brian Davis

Steve Davis

Greg Davis

ORSON PRATT BROWN FAMILY UPDATES

ORSON PRATT BROWN 1863-1946

ORSON'S JOURNALS AND BIOGRAPHIES

ORSON PRATT BROWN'S PARENTS
- Captain James Brown 1801-1863

- Phebe Abbott Brown Fife 1831-1915

- Colonel William Nicol Fife - Stepfather 1831-1915

ORSON'S GRANDPARENTS

ORSON PRATT BROWN'S 5 WIVES

ORSON PRATT BROWN'S 35 CHILDREN

ORSON'S SIBLINGS from MOTHER PHEBE

ORSON'S 28 SIBLINGS from JAMES BROWN

ORSON'S 17 SIBLINGS from STEPFATHER FIFE

ORSON PRATT BROWN'S IN-LAWS

INDEX OF MORMON COLONIES IN MEXICO

INDEX OF MORMON MEXICAN MISSION

INDEX TO POLYGAMY IN UTAH, ARIZONA, MEXICO

INDEX TO MEX. REVOLUTION & THE MORMON EXODUS

INDEX OF SURNAMES

MAPS OF THE MEXICAN COLONIES

BROWN FAMILY MAYFLOWER CONNECTION 1620

BROWN's in AMERICAN REVOLUTION 1775-1783

BROWN's in AMERICAN CIVIL WAR 1861-1865

BROWN's in WARS AFTER 1865

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