her story
The journey
Genevieve Valerie Brown – “Gennie” a Phenomenal Woman of God whose memory is etched on the hearts of all persons with whom she has come in contact. Her effervescence, flamboyance, and million dollar smile along with her ‘theatrics’ have made her “Larger Than Life”. A true humanitarian who has dedicated all her life to giving hope to the hopeless, empowering the marginalized and extending love to the ‘unloved’. A stately woman who could walk with Kings but never lose the ‘common touch’ . A beautiful soul, and a lover of all things beautiful.
Her Life was decorated with many accolades and achievements.
She always looked on the brighter side of life. One of her favorite saying was “instead of saying the glass is half empty, say it is half full.” This positive outlook on life enabled Gennie to empower her daughters, to motivate and mentor scholars and to impact those whom she encountered. Gennie’s legacy of love, joy, laughter and impact will carry on through the legacy she has left behind.
Earlier years
Gennie’s early years were decorated with many accolades and achievements. She was never ‘ordinary’. Everything she did she put her all into it. As a teenager, Gennie’s talent and creativity earned her the title of National 4-H Girl of the Year in 1973 and Farm Queen for the Parish of St. Ann, also in 1973
She has gained recognition for her outstanding contributions everywhere that she has lived and worked. In 1988, she received the “Year of the Worker Award” for her contributions to the field of culture. From very young, she always managed to gain the respect of persons from all levels of society. It was this tradition of excellence that she took with her throughout her lifetime.
Multi-talented Gennie
Geneivieve’s creativity knows no bounds. She is famous for making a gown out of an ordinary piece of cloth, or refashioning something that may look drab. She was able to do crochet, embroidery, knitting and the list goes on.
As a Home Economics aficionado, she was quite versatile in the kitchen making: sauces, jams, preserves etc. Her talent also extended to music as she played the guitar and piano. It was amazing to watch her as she could play any tune by air.
As an active member of the Jamaica Agricultural Society, St. Mary Chapter, she took part and assisted others with exhibitions for the Denbigh Show held on an annual basis and the St Mary Agricultural Show held at Grays Inn, St Mary.
Sister Gennie
Gennie has always been a spiritual and prayerful person, therefore it was no surprise that she surrendered her life totally to the Lord in the mid 1990’s. She has often said that sometimes she prefers to talk to her “Daddy Jesus” than to negative people. She was a choir member and an ardent member of her church community. She loved attending church conventions and conferences. She even traveled to the USA to attend the T.D Jakes’ Woman Thou Art Loosed Conference.
Teacher Brown
Miss Brown spent the better part of 3 decades molding the minds of young people at the Islington High School. As a Food and Nutrition teacher, she went above and beyond to ensure that her students were equipped with the necessary skills to be successful in their exams and in their future vocations. Her love for her students was even extended toward children who were not in her class. Her students enjoyed her passion in the Home Economics department at the school where she taught various skills.
Miss Brown was famous for getting boys interested in Food and Nutrition. While she loved her female students, Miss Brown had a special place in her heart for the boys, especially those whom others may have described as disruptive or who their families and society might have given up on. She was a consummate educator.
Lover of comedy
Genevieve was a lover of theatrical production and was a true entertainer herself. She could identify comedic talents and would encourage persons with such skills to hone in on their talent and get into the profession. She had a belly full of laughter and would not hold back on good laughter either with you or at you .She had a laugh that you could hear from afar, the kind of laugh that would make you laugh too.
gennie the fashionista
Genevieve could turn any piece of cloth into a fashionable piece, adorned with trimmings and details. Some of the pieces she wore were either sewed or designed by her. This love for fashion was reflective in the way she dressed. Her clothing was always well coordinated with jewellery to complement. “Talk about a lady who loved pearls.”
gennie the foodie
Genevieve was a lover of scrumptious food and enjoyed fine dining as well. Her love for food and delectable delights came through in her artistic creations with foods from a young age, making jams, jellies, pickled, preserved foods and much more. She could “turn her hand make fashion,” and taught others to do the same. She could turn any plain product from the cupboard into an exquisite meal.
