Eugenia Brown

Mrs. Eugenia Hortense Mathews Brown was born August 17, 1914 in Jacksonville, Florida to Eugene James Mathews and Hortense Cathedral Hamilton Mathews. She attended Stanton High School graduating in 1932. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education with a minor in English from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical College/University. Mrs. Brown was employed by Duval County Schools for over 45 years. Twenty-one and a half years as an Elementary Education teacher; one and a half years as an Elementary Public School Music teacher and twenty-two years as an English teacher. She also taught in the summer Headstart Programs and the Florida Community College Adult Basic Education Program. She was an active member of Bethel Baptist Institutional Church where she has been a member for eighty-five years. As a youth, she played on the Girls' Basketball Team and served in the Youth Choir. As an adult, she was Assistant Girl Scout Leader and Brownie Scout Leader. She taught the Junior Seekers of Truth Sunday School Class (which she named), served as Secretary of the Primary Sunday School Department, Youth Camp Counselor, member of the Adult Retreat Committee and twenty (20) years as a pianist/director of the Children's Choir. Mrs. Brown was active in the Duval County Teachers Association and was one of three African Americans who served on the Unification Committee that united all of the teachers in Duval County into one organization, namely, the Duval Teachers Association (DTA). She was a member of the Merger Committee, signing the agreement that merged Duval Teachers Association and Jacksonville Federation of Teachers (JFT) into Duval Teachers United (DTU). She served on the Board of Directors of the Florida Education Association (FEA). Mrs. Brown was an active of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority for sixty-six years. She served in different capacities within her sorority. Mrs. Brown was also affiliated with the First Coast Pan-Hellenic Council; Live Long and Like It Senior Citizens Club; Lively Seniors Bowling League; National Council of Negro Women; Durkee Historical Society; Myrtle Avenue Neighborhood Improvement Association (MANIA); Duval Retired Teachers Association; and Florida Retired Educators Association. She leaves to cherish her precious memories, a brother, Dr. Edwin N. Mathews (Dessie Patterson), a niece, Deswin Saragene Mathews. Special friends Ray and Toni Alfred. Mourning her homegoing are the descendants of James Albert Matthews; Joseph Matthews; Junious Matthews; John Henry Jerkins; Jesse Matthews Bright and Gloria Frasier Best and many dedicated friends.

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