Rosie L. Brown

Queen Mother Rosie Lee Brown received a personal visit from Jesus Christ on Wednesday May 20, 2026, to take her to her Heavenly Mansion. Jesus said after 102 years of living on this earth…”Rosie, Your mansion is ready!”

Mother Rosie Lee Brown was born April 6, 1924 in the town of Vaiden, Mississippi. She graduated from Wheatley High School, in Papa Bluff, Missouri and played on their girls basketball team. Her mother owned a 20-acre farm that raised cows, chickens, hogs, and horses. In the 1940’s, Queen Mother Rosie Brown decided to move to Chicago, Illinois for a year with family, but later saw Toledo, Ohio as her permanent home.

After moving to Toledo in 1943, she began working at the age of nineteen years old at Riverside Hospital for the next ten years. In 1949, she met and married her husband, George Henry Blackwell-Brown. On June 17, 1950, their son, Gregory Darnell Brown, was born.

For the next twenty-eight years, Queen Mother Brown worked at Toledo Hospital as the Dietary Supervisor. During that time, she and her husband joined the Christian Community Church in the early 1970’s.

Queen Mother Brown was a vital part in running the family-owned restaurant business for twenty-seven years; which made her and her husband one of the first African-American restaurateurs to operate in the historic Downtown Toledo Riverfront District (Across the street from Fort Industry Square, which is the oldest building in Toledo.). Together they opened, owned, and operated the Zansibar in Downtown Toledo, and the Yankee Inn on 1616 N. Detroit Avenue. They were well-known for sponsoring neighborhood cook-outs every year for the kids in Toledo’s Midtown Englewood District. In the mid 1980’s she ran the Brown’s Tasty Creme restaurant owned by her son Gregory, where she literally taught neighborhood kids how to count their money before and after making their purchases.

Queen Mother Rosie Brown has set the ultimate spiritual example for her family, friends, and church with her routine of waking up each morning, praying overt the entire family, reading her daily bread book and her Bible. In addition, she has been on the Mother’s Board of the church for approximately thirty-seven years.

She was a matriarch of Toledo, Ohio, because everywhere she goes within the city, people often remember how tough she was as their boss in the hospitals; and they are grateful to her for teaching them about true work ethic. A little-known fact is that for many years in the late 1940’s and 1950’s she was voted Miss Bronze Raven for the annual Bronze Raven Parade (Toledo’s second African American Newspaper), because she was so gorgeous, sophisticated, and regal!!!

Her most famous family members and friends consist of: Kenneth Blackwell, Secretary of State, for the State of Ohio and former Mayor of Cincinnati; Shirley Murdock; Jimmy Jackson, retired NBA player, Martin Lawrence, the comedian, and blockbuster movie star.

After turning 102 on April 6, 2026, the Queen, Mother Rosie Lee Brown, was preceded in death by mother Jennie Eatoy Haslett, father Wilburn Johnson, sisters Molly Brown (Grover Brown), Edith Davis (John Davis), brothers Herman Johnson (Carrie Johnson), John D. Johnson (Louise Johnson), John Willie Johnson (Juanita Johnson), husband George Henry Brown, and son Fred Brown.

Queen Mother Rosie leaves to cherish memory her son Rev. Gregory Darnell Brown (Katherine Brown), daughter Vondean (Pastor Sylvester Rome), daughter Alisa Wren-Cosby, M.Ed. (Cosby), daughter Michelle Wren-Garett, M.Ed. (Rodney Garrett), daughter Sherry Cooper, RN (Officer Reynard Cooper), grandson Master Gunnery Sergeant Gregory Darnell Brown II, grandson Pastor Troy Lamar Brown, M.Ed. (Dr. Tawiona Brown, D.P.T., P.T., NCS), and grandson Rique Brown. Her great grandsons are: Gregory Darnell Brown III, Zachery Lee Brown, Kennedy William Brown, Aaron Brown, Anthony Brown, Jake Hall, Josiah Brown, and Micah Gregory Miles Brown. Her great-grand daughters are: Jazmine Hall, Jadelyn Hall, Jocelyn Brown, Caitlyn Brown, and Morgan Brown.

Nieces: Theresa Johnson, Thelma Joyce (Reginald Morris), Carol Johnson. Nephews: Danny Miles Davis, Ph.D., God daughters: Bernice Murray, Chaquita Bailey, Anna Rayford, Beverly Lyles, and Cynthia Triplett, MSN. God son’s Pastor Robert G. Bass, Minister Ernie Walker, Minister Booth, Cleveland McBee, and A. Rephael May. Special friends: Dec. John T. Hawkins, Ms. Ernestine, Mrs. Moore, Mrs. Stuart, Leroy Moses, Francis Stoudemire, Frankie Tennison, and Mr. and Mrs. Hartwell.

Queen Mother Rosie Brown had wisdom and understanding from God, because she prayed without ceasing! However, even at 102 years old, if you were hard-headed and not listening to her Godly wisdom while in her presence, Queen Mother Rosie would say as a warning shot “NOW WAIT NOW, COOL IT! YOUR HEAD IS HARD!—then she would “Lay your soul to rest!”

The family would like to truly thank the Refreshing Place Church, United Missionary Baptist Church, J. Frank Troy Center, The Toledo Hospital, Central Dialysis, Kingston Rehabilitation of Sylvania, and Dr. Nicolas Lopez for being a vital, caring, and trust-worthy part of her life!

Now, our Queen of Holy Toledo has her mansion, robe, and crown!

John 3:16

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life!

Rosie's family will welcome friends on Friday, May 29, 2026 from 4:00 pm until 8:00 pm at Newcomer Funeral Home - Southwest Chapel, 4752 Heatherdowns Blvd, Toledo. A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, May 30, 2026 at 10:00 am at The Refreshing Place, 2500 Nebraska Ave, Toledo, Ohio. Burial will immediately follow at Historic Woodlawn Cemetery.

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