Anna Brown, long-time resident of Vicksburg will be 100 years of age on December 8, 2014. She married Ralph Brown, Sr., in 1935. They bought a home in 1941, where they raised six children.
Anna has been very active in various community groups and organizations. She was a member of the Vicksburg Hospital Guild which helped raise funds for various hospital needs from the old hospital on North Main Street to the present location on the Boulevard.
Members of the Garden Club drew on her expertise regarding planting and nourishing many varieties of flowers. Her yard would be as a fireworks display starting in the spring and deep into the fall. She still has beautiful flowers on display at her condo at 1000 West Villas Drive, in Vicksburg.
Anna has enjoyed her membership in several organizations over the years, especially the Elmwood Chapter of the Pythian Sisters, for which she served as Grand Chief of the State of Michigan in 1972/73. She is also a member of the Ladies Library Association in Vicksburg.
While her husband, Ralph, was President of the Village of Vicksburg, Anna was elected to the village council. A reporter from Kalamazoo was interviewing Ralph regarding his wife being on the council, and asked if that wouldn’t be a conflict of interest. He remarked, “No, I don’t think so; all the years we’ve been married, she hasn’t listened to me yet!
This lady has always had a heart of gold and would do anything to help a fellow citizen get through troubled times. Today, they don’t come any heartier. She was the first recipient of the Carl Bennett Memorial Award as the oldest participant in the annual Vicksburg “Hearty Hustle” race at the age of 93.
In 1976, as part of the Bicentennial celebration, Anna was recognized as one of the outstanding women in Kalamazoo County.
Anna and Ralph were part of the founding members of the Vicksburg Ambulance Service, and both worked on the ambulance service for many years (Anna until she was 76; she retired only after a fall while on an ambulance run to save a person who was drowning). Their daughter, Nancy, became involved and is still active on the ambulance service.
Anna continued to remain busy, however; and her sense of humor has always been a key part of her demeanor.
Anna loves to receive cards and letters. The address is: Anna Brown, 1000 West Villas Drive, Vicksburg, MI 49097.
