It is with a heavy heart, a profound sense of loss, and an immeasurable sadness that I must announce the passing of Melinda Lee Brown who was also known in her beloved community as Mama Mel. Mel passed away on Sunday, September 22, 2024 after a 6 month long and stoic battle against an undiagnosed stage 4 cancer that was believed to be a simple back injury. Mel was 74 years young and will be always loved and remembered by those who were touched by her unrestrained kindness and overwhelming need to ensure those in her family and community were better off because of her efforts and hard work.

Mel began her life in a small Texas town as the youngest of  two daughters in a modest working family. Despite her lack of a solid foundation and support for reasons unknown, she managed to fall in love with a handsome young man and became a dedicated mother of 2 beautiful daughters of her own, whom she would ensure had the happy childhood she was unfortunately deprived of. She found comfort and happiness briefly with her first husband, Bobby Burns, who was tragically taken from her in a sudden and unforeseeable lake accident.

In her now sole, daunting fight to provide for her small family, she worked in retail sales, as a restaurant server, and any job she could in order to give that security to her family. Eventually, she found the job she was destined to have as a bartender that could provide a caring ear for anyone who was having troubles or give the love someone needed and be the spark to brighten anyones day with a funny story or just a simple word of advice and support. She was proud to have been voted the best female bartender 6 years in a row and genuinely loved her patrons who would often eventually become her very close circle of friends who she valued greatly. The one thing she missed most when she retired was just getting together with her bar crowds and laughing and spending time with them and she often spoke about how much she adored her group of generous friends that she came to know over the years, and a majority of, on a deeply personal basis. Those friendships she carried inside her every day of her life.

Mel enjoyed gardening, painting, rock collecting, fishing and making jewelry among other interests that kept her happy and busy. She also loved to read and learn about her Osage Nation ancestry, but mostly she just loved to make those around her happy.

Mel was not the kind of a person that didn't care about anything, she cared and worried about everything and everyone. When she saw a need , she made every effort to alleviate that need by any means necessary, even with her seemingly limited foundation to do so. When she discovered that there were children who had a great need at The "Childrens Center Inc." of Galveston who house youths throughout 13 shelters including the Alberton Yeager and Youth Crisis Center, ACCT Youths, Jameson Center, Galveston Island Family Crisis Center, and Emergency Shelter Division just to name a few she jumped into her typical Mama Mel self, organizing benefits to provide these children with a happier Christmas and founded The non profit Sleeptight fund for Mel's kids that provided pajamas, cotton sheets, pillows and blankets etc. and also gave these children a wish list that she would ensure each child received at least 1 item from their list every year that included socks, toys, bikes, beauty and health products, and whatever else she found on their lists. After raising the money from her benefits, her Mel painted calendars, fundraisers, donation boards and carnivals from her overly generous bar friendships and Galveston Community, she would shop and spend every penny donated and have wrapping parties to make it all happen and deliver these gifts as a Secret Santa to each childs location. To my knowledge in the first 4 years she raised 18,000$ and helped 151 children to have a happier Christmas on the island. That is why it is so difficult to have lost this caring soul and the world will surely feel the profound loss of a warmhearted person who made a huge difference in so many lives. She was a petite person but to me, she was a giant, who had a spirit inside her that could move mountains. Perhaps her Osage Nation heritage utilized the strength from Wa kon ta (an intelligent force that exists in the universe - The Great Spirit) to perform these heroic acts of kindness and selflessness.

Mel is survived by her loving husband of over 30 years, Gary Brown and her 2 incredible daughters Tanya Weldon and Shannon Burns. She is also survived by her 4 wonderful grandchildren, Robert, Julianna, Johnathan and Andie and their significant others. She also reluctantly leaves behind her newest loves of her life, her 3 great grandchildren whom she thought about every day and who gave her the most joy in her final days. Mel is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews and extended family members, all of whom she deeply loved and all their support was such a huge factor in her fight to remain to continue her love for the whole extended family and friends in every way she could. There was no one I know that was sweeter than my beloved Mel except for my own mother and my only wish is that we remember the wonderful person she was and be grateful that we were blessed to have had her in our lives. We can and will get through this devastating loss because that is what she would have wanted us to do. Thank you all for the support. It means a great deal to me and I know that with her memory, we will STAY TOGETHER!

Memorial service will be at Carnes Brothers Funeral Home on October 5th 2024 at 3 pm at 1201 23rd street at avenue L.