Mary Catherine Brown, 96, of Hopewell, VA, died June 21, 2018. Born and raised in Mount Hope, WV, she lived the last fifty years in Hopewell, surrounded by her family. She was the daughter of the late Morris Whitney Carel and Jenky Jane Champe. Raised primarily by her mother after her father died young, Mary Catherine drew early inspiration and courage from her mother’s example, an editor for the St. Albans Advertiser in a time when few women held positions of leadership. She endured great challenges in her early life including the loss of a young son and the long term care of another son that suffered severe burns. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and devoted caretaker of those in need. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, Clarence Hancock, Sr., her second husband, Daul Brown, her sons Edward Hancock and Clarence Hancock, Jr., and her siblings Frederick, Morris, Alice, and Davidson. She is survived by a son, Robert Hancock of Prince George; four grandchildren, Mary Hawkey of Richmond, Jennifer Hancock of Richmond, Charles Hancock of Rye, NH, and Sean Hancock of Richmond; and four great grandchildren Ashleigh, Dominik, Elizabeth, and Lauren. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Monday, June 25, 2018 at the funeral home of J.T. Morriss in Hopewell, VA. A funeral service will be conducted at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, June 26, 2018 at Southlawn Memorial Park in South Prince George, VA, with the Rev. Jeff Butler, Pastor of Woodlawn Presbyterian Church, officiating. A reception will follow after the funeral service at Woodlawn Presbyterian church at 11:00am for family and friends. The address is 1201 Blackstone Ave in Hopewell. Condolences may be registered at
www.jtmorriss.com
.