Nellie Hale Brown, 86, of Guild, TN died Friday, April 6, 2012 with her children by her side.

The tenth and last surviving child of the late John Thomas and Sarah Elizabeth Church Hale, she was born on February 12, 1926 in the Hales Bar community where her family made their home. She lived in Guild most of her life and on June 29, 1943, after a spirited courtship, she married Paul Brown with whom she shared 60 years of love and devotion. Following Paul's service to the US Navy during World War II, they returned to Guild to make their home and begin their family.

She and her husband spent many of their children's school years attending football and basketball games and became fixtures at Marion County High School and the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. They were also devoted and doting Mammaw and Pappaw to their grandchildren and great-grandchildren, being as active in their lives as possible.

Nellie retired after many years of service as the Postmistress of the US Post Office in Guild. She was a longtime member of Hale's Chapel United Methodist Church in Guild until it was closed and she later joined Holly Avenue United Methodist Church in South Pittsburg, TN.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Paul Brown, brothers, Andrew, Arthur, Howard, Fonzie, J.T., Harvey and Ed Hale and sisters, Francis Conner and Ethel Conner.

She is survived by her children, Paula & Bill Baker of Knoxville, TN, Eddie & Nicole Brown of Greeneville, TN and Teresa & Jim Rogers of South Pittsburg; grandchildren, Jennifer & Joe Pace of Knoxville, Meegan & Gil Burton of Kimball, TN, Ben & Allison Rogers of Blountville, TN, Adam Rogers of Alpharetta, GA, Riley Alexander and Ellie Alexander of Greeneville; great-grandchildren, Robert "Bo" Burton and Katie Burton and Isabella "Bella" Pace; sisters-in-law, Bertie Francis Hale of Manchester, TN and Zula Virginia Brown Fyffe of Clearwater, FL; several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at Holly Avenue United Methodist Church in South Pittsburg on Sunday, April 8, 2012 at 4 pm Central time with Reverends Michael Johnson and Bill Lassiter officiating. Interment will be in Pine Grove Cemetery in Jasper.

The family will receive friends from 5 - 9 pm Central time on Saturday, April 7, 2012 at Rogers Funeral Home in Jasper and on Sunday from 2pm until service time at Holly Avenue United Methodist Church.

The family requests that memorial donations be made to Holly Avenue United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 189, South Pittsburg, TN 37380 or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the family and staff at Sheltering Arms in Palmer for the wonderful care and attention they gave to their mother during her time there.