THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF MRS, CHARLENE (Tutti) BROWN-GILYARD

It was a joyous occasion for Clyde Brown Sr. and Helen Shine-Brown with the birth of their second child on February 13, 1951 in Muskogee, Oklahoma. They named her Charlene and she was soon after given the nickname "Tutti" by her proud Father.

At a very young age, Charlene accepted the Lord as her Savior and was baptized at Rayfield Baptist Church. At still a young age, Helen moved her family's membership to Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church. It was during this membership, Charlene became an active member of the church where she sang in the church choir and would go on to raise her son in the same church.

Charlene received her education at Douglas Elementary, Sadler Jr. High and the Historical Manual Training Center where she graduated with the class of 1969. Charlene also attended Connors State College in Warner, Oklahoma.

Soon after graduation from Manual Training Center, Charlene met and married Jimmie Gilyard Sr, and to this union one child was born whom they named Jimmie Gilyard, Jr. Later this marriage dissolved but they remained close friends throughout the years.

Charlene spent a great majority of her adult years working in the same community that she received her early education, with working as a teacher assistant and parent Liason at Cherokee Elementary and Sadler Arts Academy respectively. She also worked as a preschool teacher for many, many years at Muskogee Day Nursery. Later, Charlene was employed at Pleasant Valley Nursing Center until her health failed in 2013.

On Wednesday, July 24, 2019 at 10:13 pm, with her son and several family members at her side, Charlene was called home to rest in Victory. Until the very end, Charlene fought with all her might to have just one more day to love and care for her only child whom she moved Heaven and Earth for.

She is preceded in death by her mother Helen Shine-Brown, father Clyde Brown, Sr.; maternal grandparents, Charlie Shine and Carrie Shine, paternal grandparents Amos and Stella Brown, nephews Ronald Davis, Wendell Barnett Jr and Herbert Hill IV, Ja'Cion Logan Ragsdale and niece Aniyah Brown.

Those left to cherish her memory are her son Jimmie Gilyard Jr, and wife Shandolan Gilyard, three grandsons Bradly, Tijuan, and Jimmie III; two granddaughters Mylashia and Jaylee; sisters Joyce Richardson, Patricia Rouse, Charlotte Ward, Vickie Ragsdale, Terri Howell, Elizabeth Hill and Kimberly Osby (Don); brother Clyde Brown Jr. (Debra) and an army of nieces and nephews, as well as a best friend Linda Gardner-Newton and special cousin Sam Brown.

A Service of Memory will be conducted, Saturday, August 17, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. in Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, 701 Altamont St. Muskogee, OK.

Visitation, Friday, Aug. 16, 2019 in the Precious Memories Chapel of House of Winn Funeral Home, during the hours of 1:00 p.m. until 6 p.m.

The family has been cared for by House of Winn-Muskogee.