Verlaine Brown ’53

Verlaine Ruth Siter Brown, 91, of Vernon Green, and longtime resident of Newfane, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Thursday morning, July 21, 2022. She died from complications of Parkinson’s Disease.

Verlaine was born in Hackensack, New Jersey on May 18, 1931, the daughter of George and Anna (Palmquist) Siter. She was a graduate of Teaneck (New Jersey) High School, class of 1949. She went on to attend Hope College in Holland, Michigan where she received her B. A. in Psychology, Class of 1953. For the three years following, she taught English to schoolchildren as a missionary in Japan with the Baptist Church of America. While serving as director of the Worcester Girls Club she met her husband, the late Carlton M. Brown, Jr. (“Carl”). They were married on November 29, 1957 at the Teaneck Community Church. They raised their three children in Worcester, MA and Holland, PA before moving to Vermont in 1969.

Carl and Verlaine owned and operated the Log Cabin Gift Shop on Route 30 in Newfane from 1969 to 1980. During the 1970’s she hosted “Good News Club” for children. She also worked for the State of Vermont as an Advocate for the Elderly for several years. After retiring Verlaine and Carl learned Spanish, and served abroad as missionaries for six years with Calvary International. The couple’s missionary posts included Guatemala and Oaxaca, Mexico. For a total of 19 years Verlaine and Carl continued to share the gospel and raise funds for unreached people groups. Verlaine was a longtime member of Agape Christian Fellowship where she served with Carl who was the Elder of Missions.

She was a faithful and devoted wife and loving mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.

She was predeceased by her husband Carl who passed away on May 16, 2015.

She leaves two sons, Carlton M. Brown III (“Matt”) and his wife, Louella of Northfield, MA and Russell Brown ’84 and his wife, Jennifer of Raleigh, NC, one daughter, Sarah (“Sally”) Winchester of Townshend, 11 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, her brother George R. Siter, Jr. and his wife Shirley of Soldotna, Alaska, and many nieces and nephews.