Toft Funeral Home and Crematory
2001 Columbus Ave
Sandusky, OH 44870
Phone: 419-625-8816
Website: http://www.toftfh.com
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Curtis Asa Brown, 92, Sandusky, passed away Tuesday, November 14, 2017, in Stein Hospice Care Center.
He was born on January 5, 1925, in Clearview, Oklahoma, the fourth of five sons born to Bradley and Amanda (Wilson) Brown.
He accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior at the age of 17 and united with the Galilee Baptist Church near Clearview.
Pastor Brown enlisted in the United States Army after graduating from Clearview High School in 1942, serving his country from September 11, 1943 through February 22, 1946. He spent 22 months of his enlistment in overseas service in the Pacific Theater of Operations.
With an intent to major in Agriculture, Dr. Brown enrolled in Langston University in 1947. In the second year of college he began to feel the call of God to enter into the gospel ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. In January, 1949, Dr. Brown yielded to the call of the Lord and enrolled in the Oklahoma School of Religion, majoring in Biblical Theology, while simultaneously attending classes at Langston University. During this period of transition and education, Dr. Brown united with the New Hope Baptist Church, Langston Oklahoma.
On April 10, 1951, Dr. Brown became an Ordained Minister. In May, 1951, he earned his Bachelor of Theology Degree from the Oklahoma School of Religion. 1951 was also the year that Dr. Brown became the pastor of Mt. Gilead Baptist Church, Spencer, Oklahoma.
While attending Langston, Dr. Brown met Dolores Boulware, a pretty little girl from Muskogee, Oklahoma; they were united in marriage on December 19, 1954.
Dr. Brown pastored the Lord's people for 56 years beginning in 1951. He served from 1966 through December, 2007 as Pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church, Sandusky.
Pastor Brown held various offices and positions in the Ohio Baptist General Convention (Congress of Christian Education, Meritorious Award Chair, By-Laws Committee, Nominating Committee) as well as the Northern Ohio Baptist District Association, (Moderator from 1989 until 1993, By-Laws Committee, Nominating Committee, instructor and annual speaker). Pastor Brown was known nationally for his strong belief in the power of prayer and for his ministries of forgiveness and reconciliation.
Pastor Brown was awarded the Presidential Award from the Ohio Baptist General Convention; in 2005 Pastor Brown was bestowed with the honor of Church of the Year; he received an award, a robe, and an Honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree. In 2016, Pastor Brown was recognized as a past Moderator at the NOBDA's William H. Cotton Banquet.
Pastor Brown was also community minded and served on social and civic organizations including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance and the Sandusky Citizens Coalition.
Pastor Brown received and humbly accepted many awards and commendations, including: Outstanding Support and Christian Services, Langston University, Outstanding Community Service and Leadership Award, The Caucus for the Preservation of Black History, Father of the Year, Lakeview Chapter #65 Order of Eastern Star, NAACP Leadership Award, Sandusky Branch of NAACP, Certificate of Honor from the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance.
Upon his retirement from the pastorate in 2007, the members of Ebenezer unanimously agreed to bestow on him the honor of Pastor Emeritus.
Pastor Brown is survived by his "Baby Sweet", his wife of 63 years, Dolores; three sons: Dr. Eric H. Brown, D. Min. and his wife, Charlesia, of Columbus, OH; Minister Zachary M. Brown and his wife, Lisa, of Columbus, OH; and Timothy A. Brown and his wife, Tara, of Brush, CO. Four daughters: Suzanne R. Keaton, of Huron, OH; Stephanie E. Mayfield and her husband, John, of Huron, OH; Minister Valerie M. Whittaker, of Huron, OH; and Tamara A. Byrd and her husband, Michael, of Columbus, OH; foster son, Alvin Greear and his wife, Kim, of Sandusky, OH; 20 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Mary R. Thomas and her husband, Edward, of Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Anita M. Marina and her husband, Booker, of Carrollton, TX; god-daughters, Shahar A. McSalters, of Columbia, MD and Taylor S. Jordan, of Omaha, NE; and loving nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his four brothers, Bradley, Harold, Edgar and Grady; his eldest child, Dr. Rosita Long, Ph.D; two grandsons, Wendell K. Bray, II and Jonathon A. Mayfield; and his dearest friend, his brother, his partner in ministry, Pastor John Marshall Stovall - the dynamic duo is together again!
Pastor Brown was widely known as a praying man; you could not leave his presence, his house, or end a telephone call without him praying for you. In Sandusky, he was known as the Community's Pastor as he aided anyone who called upon him, regardless of race, gender or church affiliation. When visiting the sick in the hospitals, one didn't have to be a member of his church congregation in order for him to stop in and offer a word of prayer. Even while a resident of the Ohio Veteran's Home, he would bestow blessings on the residents. Although Alzheimer's disease robbed him of his memory, it never robbed him of his God, his faith or his communion with God.
A wake will be held Sunday, November 19, 2017 from 6-9pm at the Ebenezer Baptist Church, 1215 Pierce St., Sandusky. A celebration of Pastor Brown's life and ministry will be held on Monday, November 20, 2017 at 11am at Ebenezer. Curtis L. Johnson, Jr., will officiate the service and Pastor Brown's eldest son, Dr. Eric H. Brown, will deliver the eulogy.
Memorial contributions may be made to Alzheimer's Support Group, Stein Hospice Service, or Ohio Veterans Home Resident Fund.
Toft Funeral Home & Crematory, 2001 Columbus Ave., Sandusky is honored to serve the family.
Condolences and gifts of sympathy may be made to the family by visiting www.toftfuneralhome.com
