Alberta Jean (Parks) Brown

Alberta Jean Brown passed away peacefully in the presence of her family at Royal Oak Manor on Thursday, April 15, 2021 at the age of 96 after a long and accomplished life.

Alberta was born March 5, 1925 in Warkworth, Ontario to Jane (nee McCallum) and Albert Allen Parks, the youngest of four children. Her father passed away just a few months before she was born hence, she was named after him. When she was five the family moved to a farm just east of Esther, Alberta to look after her mother’s foster mom, Rachel Campbell.

In July of 1943 mom attended Normal School in Calgary to train to be a teacher.  There was a shortage of teachers due to the war, so she attended Normal School for 3 months before receiving her first teaching assignment at the Wolf Hill School near Byemore, Alberta.  Her training continued in the summers of 1944 and 1945 in order to obtain her permanent teaching degree.  Mom taught in several schools in eastern Alberta, Calgary and Crestomere.  After retiring from teaching, mom was Librarian at the Lacombe Public Library for seven years.

Mom and Dad lived in Calgary for many years before retiring to their cottage at Gull Lake, Alberta in 1976.  In 1990 they purchased a vacation home in Phoenix and thoroughly enjoyed 15 winters with family and friends.  In 2007 they moved into Lacombe.  Family, friends, gardening, reading, playing cards and many crafts and hobbies kept Mom very happy.

Alberta will be lovingly remembered by her children, Donna Hunter and Glenn Brown, grandchildren Melissa, Riley (Tong), Laura (Oran) and Codi, great-grandchildren Jaxom and Aaron, many beloved nieces and nephews, Carolyn Davenport (mother of Riley and Codi) as well as countless good friends. She was predeceased by her parents, Jane (Jean) and Albert Parks, first husband Richard Sherring (1955) and second husband, Gordon Brown (2012), as well as all her brothers, brothers-in-laws, sisters and sister-in-laws, Donald and Olive Parks, Ralph and Hilda Parks, Hazel and Ricky Semmens, Doug and Marie Brown and Harry and Beth Brown.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to Dr. Matt Unger for his very diligent and compassionate care of mom throughout the years.

A special thanks to the many staff and friends at the Royal Oak Village in Lacombe for the care, compassion and friendship she received.  As well, the staff in units A and B of the Lacombe Hospital for their wonderful care of mom as she was in and out of the hospital the last few months.

A celebration of life will be held sometime in the future as COVID restrictions are lifted.

In lieu of flowers well-wishers are encouraged to donate to the Mary C Moore Public Library in Lacombe in Alberta’s name.  Mom was an avid reader, and the library was a very important fixture in her life.  Christina and the staff at the library went above and beyond looking after her, ensuring that she had sufficient books to read right up to the end.

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