Bonnie Belle Brown

Bonnie Belle (Harrison) Brown, of Norman, Oklahoma age 81, beloved wife and mother, passed away in care at Integris Hospital (ICU), in Yukon, OK on March 22, 2024, surrounded by her family. Born on April 4, 1942 in Manchester, TN to Marvin Joshua Harrison and Lillian Lovena (Bell) Harrison, Bonnie was loved deeply by her parents. Bonnie lived in the historic town of Old Hickory, near the DuPont Company, Nashville, Tennessee during the first few years of her life until her mother passed away when she was age 4. Thereafter, she grew up in the “holler” as a fearless and adventurous young girl who joyfully discovered the wonder, safety and freedom of nature and the outdoors.

Tragically, she was orphaned at age 14, when her father died, but was incredibly resilient due to her unwavering faith. One of her favorite memories was going to the Grand Ole Opry with her father, mother and siblings to see Little Jimmy Dickens and Roy Acuff play country music. She graduated from Shelbyville High School in 1962 where she enjoyed playing basketball, the saxophone and discovered her love of art.

On December 21, 1962, she married Donald Max Brown who was serving in the US Air Force which brought them west of the Mississippi River to Abilene, Texas. Bonnie joyfully embraced motherhood with gentleness, gratitude and contentment. Bonnie and her husband raised their three daughters Mary, Melissa, and Amanda, while living in Texas and Oklahoma. Bonnie and Don cared for Bonnie’s young nieces and nephews for several years in El Paso, TX, until their parents, Barbara and Alex Garza, established a loving home and family for them in Ione, Washington.

Bonnie shared her gifts of compassion and empathy while serving vulnerable children, as a house parent with her husband, at the Tipton Children’s Home in Tipton, OK from 1975-1979. She served as a member of the Church of Christ, in Mangum, OK and an Elder’s wife, at the Church of Christ in Perry, OK until 2020, and remained active in the First Christian Church of Norman, OK.

Bonnie enjoyed traveling annually throughout the great northwest to Washington, with Don and her three beloved dogs, Sam, Foster and Teddy Max, visiting her older sister, Barbara and her husband Alex Garza. She took pride in her gardening skills and loved planting and watching her trees and flowers grow.

Bonnie was an artistic prodigy, a naturally gifted artist, who received various art show awards, and earned community merit and special recognition throughout her career. She taught private art lessons in her home and was invited to be an art instructor on the Altus Air Force Base, Altus, OK. Her formal art education began in her 50s while attending Northern Oklahoma College, in Tonkawa, OK, where her paintings were permanently displayed. While living in Perry, OK she created an art studio on Main Street, where she displayed and sold many of her original paintings and prints. As a local artist, she was commissioned to paint and also donated several landmark and Oklahoma western scene paintings, including the Perry High School, First Christian Church, and Perry Train Depot. In 2019, a large collection of her art pieces were on display by invitation from the Cherokee Strip Museum in Perry, OK. Recently, Bonnie added to her collection of artworks by joining art students at the Adult Wellness Center, in Norman OK where she also loved swimming, playing corn hole and making new friends with her beloved sister mother-in-law Jane Boren.

Most importantly, she was known for her optimistic kind spirit, beautiful smile, and ability to humbly love and respect everyone she met. Bonnie was married to Don for almost 60 years. She was a faithful and devoted wife and mother who loved the Lord and remained obedient to God until He called her home to heaven.

Bonnie was preceded in death by her husband, Don Brown of Perry, OK, her sister Barbara (Alex) Garza of Ione, WA, her parents Marvin (Lillian) Harrison of Manchester, TN, her niece Elizabeth Driver Ione, WA, and nephews Charles Driver Spokane, WA, Tommy Driver, TN and Chad Brown Shelbyville, TN. She is survived by her three daughters Mary Brown Boren (Nathan; Norman, OK), Melissa Brown Hanke (Jim; Clarendon Hills, IL), Amanda Lee Ann Carr (Ken; Moore, OK); seven grandchildren N. Altus Boren (Aurora, CO), Harrison Boren (Norman, OK), Macy Boren (Long Beach, CA) Shelby Lewis (Edmond, OK), Natalie and Naomi Carr (Moore, OK), Annabelle Hanke (Clarendon Hills, IL), her younger brother Terry J. Harrison (Melody; Winchester, TN), and her beloved dog Teddy Max, a smart-as-a-person Jack Russell. She was an aunt to many nieces and nephews living in Washington, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and Kentucky.

A visitation will be held Friday, March 29, 4-6pm at Tribute Memorial Care, 708 24th Ave NW, Event Center, Norman, OK 73069. A Memorial Service will be held Monday, April 1st, 2024 @ 11:00 a.m., First Christian Church, 220 S. Webster Ave, Norman, OK 73069. Condolences may be shared at www.tribute.care.

Graveside Service will be Saturday, April 13th, 2024 @ 3:00 p.m., Bomar Cemetery, 1700 Hilltop Road, Tullahoma, TN 37388.

Donations can be made to:

Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children

Food & Shelter of Norman

Fine Arts Division, Northern Oklahoma College, Tonkowa, OK.

Raus Community Center, Tullahoma, TN.

Bomar Cemetery in Tullahoma, TN