Vivian Brown

Vivian Leona Barksdale was born on May 23, 1926.  She was the fourth daughter born to Frederick and Regina Barksdale.  Vivian was born in Newark, New Jersey.  She has one living sister, Frederica Banks.  She was predeceased by her other three sisters, Olive Stewart, Charlotte Strother and Eloise Brown.

Vivian received her education through the public schools of Washington, DC.  She attended Deanwood Elementary School, Garnet Patterson and Banneker Jr. High Schools and graduated from Cardoza Sr. High School.  Vivian wasn’t affiliated with a particular church, but was baptized at an early age at Zion Baptist Church in Deanwood and usually watched one of the televangelists on Sunday mornings.

Vivian began working in the government in 1944.  She worked for the Department of the Army andQuartermaster until 1960 as a Clerk-Typist. She then worked for the DOA as a Claims Examiner from August 1960 through May 1981 when she retired from the Forrestal Building.  During her employment, Vivian was awarded numerous outstanding ratings and superior performance with cash awards.

She was the mother of one son, Rodney Barksdale Lewis, who preceded her in death.  She married Ernest C. Brown on October 28, 1961.  He affectionately nicknamed her “Box”.  From that union, she gained a stepson, Warren Pendleton. She also had a goddaughter, Ava C. Jones.

Vivian was an avid crossword puzzle worker.  Until her sister, Eloise, passed, they would compare answers to the crossword puzzle in the Washington Post from Sunday. Until she became ill, she enjoyed watching game and quiz shows on television.  We knew not to call her during a football or basketball game or one of the William sisters tennis matches.  

She would also schedule herappointments so she’d be sure to be back home for the afternoon “soaps”.   But,as we all know……she also had a secret part-time job in Atlantic City, NJ where she fed and emptied slot machines whenever the opportunity presented itself.

Aunt Vivian played a major part in the upbringing of her Grand Nephew, Antoin Thompson.  She was his daycare provider from the age of six weeks old until he went to nursery school at the age of three, after which she kept him during breaks in the school year and days off from school.

Vivian leaves to cherish her memory, her husband, Ernest, her sister and family matriach, Frederica Banks, a devoted niece, Charlene Tazell, her best friend since school, Mary “Kandy” Gibson, her stepson, Warren Pendleton (Nancy), granddaughters, LaWann and LaTaura; niece, Deborah Thompson; nephews, Derrick and Antoin Thompson; niece Karen Smith; nephews, Robert(Charlena), Eric (Maria) and Kevin Banks; her goddaughter, Ava Jones and a host of other relatives and friends.