Beverly Brown, 87, passed away on Wednesday, January 3, 2018, with her daughter beside her at her home in Cottonwood.

Funeral Services will be graveside at 2:00 PM Friday, January 5, 2018 at the Cottonwood Cemetery in Cottonwood, with Pastor Kevin Morton of the First United Methodist Church of Cross Plains officiating. Visitation will be from noon until 1:30 p.m. at Higginbotham Funeral Home, with a processional following to the graveside services. A reception will be held following the services at the Fellowship Hall of the Cottonwood Baptist Church.

Members of the Cross Plains Volunteer Fire Department will serve as pall bearers, along with honorary pallbearer, Allen Barnett.

An additional memorial service, a celebration of Beverly’s life, will be held in the Spring.

Beverly Irene Rapp was born February 18, 1930, in Sharpsville, PA, to Harry A. Rapp and Mildred Carr Rapp. She was raised in Sharpsville and graduated from Sharpsville High School in 1948.

Following high school, she and her mother and grandparents moved to San Bernardino, CA, where she met and married Wayne Brown. Beverly worked as a cashier at a bank and at Sears.

In 1965, she and Wayne and their daughter Teri moved to Abilene, and the year following they moved to the farm in Cottonwood.

Beverly loved Cottonwood and, over time, was involved with the Cottonwood Baptist Church, the Cottonwood Quilting Club and the Cottonwood Aid Society. She was a member of the Cottonwood Historical Association where she had served as president for several years and had overseen the Cottonwood Cemeteries for many years. One of her proudest moments came in 2001, when she received a plaque for her years of service to the cemetery.

She was a charter member of Cottonwood Volunteer Fire Control Group and in 2013 wrote a book to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the organization’s founding.

Beverly was a member of the Cross Plains Volunteer Fire Department and enjoyed helping with fundraisers and events for the fire departments. She loved planning and preparing breakfast for Callahan County Firefighters Association meetings while she was involved with both Cross Plains and Cottonwood Fire Departments.

She was always ready to help with a bake sale or a fundraiser. She served sandwiches at Cottonwood Musicals, desserts at Fish Frys and helped with the takeouts at Chili Suppers.

Beverly wrote the Cottonwood News in the Cross Plains Review off and on for a period of 35 years, taking time off for Alice Champion and Wallace Bennett to write the news.

Beverly was preceded in death by her husband, Wayne Brown, her parents, Harry A. and Beatrice Rapp and Mildred L. and Homer Ford, her brother, Harry A. Rapp, Jr., step-brothers Raymond and Bill Ford, son-in-law, Gilbert Ibarra, and many dear friends.

Beverly is survived by her daughter, Teri Brown; her sisters, Arlene Leonetti and husband John of Cody, WY, and Maxine Sneed and husband J.W., of Azle, TX, numerous nieces and nephews, including Jennifer Brown Ka'aikalā, Judy Brown Wren, Kenny Brown and Rick Ball who all lived in Cottonwood or stayed with “Aunt Bev” at one time. She is also survived by Joe and Deana Terstegge and Ray Decker, who she felt were her other children.; step-granddaughter Crystal Argueta and many close friends.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to one of Beverly’s favorite charities: The Cross Plains Senior Center, Cross Plains Volunteer Fire Department, and the Cottonwood Volunteer Fire Control Group.