Petra Brown

Petra (Balladares) Brown, 96, of Beeville died Thursday, March 11, 2010, in a local nursing home. She was born on Feb. 17, 1914, in Beeville to Tiburcio and Ramona (Rodriguez) Balladares. She married Joe Everest Brown Sr. in Beeville on April 4, 1945. She was a nanny by trade and a member of Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Joe E. Brown Sr.; her father, Tiburcio Balladares; her mother and stepfather, Eusebio and Ramona B. Olivarez; two brothers, Reynaldo and Bennie Olivarez; a sister, Delores O. Villarreal; and a stepson, Joe S. Brown II. Survivors include a brother, Raymond Olivarez Sr.; two sisters, Severa O. Echols and Maria Isabel O. Garza; a daughter, Esmeralda Anita B. (Gilbert Sr.) Arredondo; a son, Edward Lee Brown; a stepson, Joe E. (Senaida) Brown Jr.; six grandchildren, Betty, Patricia, Gilbert II, Audra, Richard and Edward Lee II; eight great-grandchildren; one great-great-granddaughter; eight step-grandchildren; 23 step-great-grandchildren; 18 step-great-great-grandchildren; an aunt, Manuela Deleon; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. Visitation was held Friday, March 12, at Galloway & Sons chapel, with a rosary recited there at 7:30 that evening. The funeral Mass was celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church with Father Eddie Garcia officiating. Burial followed at Beeville Memorial Park. Fernando Cisneros sang "Ave Maria," "Amazing Grace/My Chains Are Gone" and "Adios Madre Mia." Pallbearers were Roy Landrum II, Kristopher Landrum, Johnny Martinez, Michael Drum, Richard Arredondo and Gilbert Arredondo II. Alternate pallbearers were Edward Lee Brown II, Manuel Serrata and Gerald Pocock. Galloway & Sons