Rev. George Harold Brown

The Celebration of Life for The Rev. George Harold Brown, 82, of Orange and Pastor Emeritus of the Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church will be Thursday at 11:00 a.m. at the Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church.

The Rev. Dr. John H. Smith, pastor, will officiate. The Rev. Joseph Roberson will deliver the Celebration Message.

Rites of Christian Burial will follow in Magnolia Memorial Gardens under the direction of Sparrow Funeral Home.

Christian Wake Services will be held Wednesday from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the church. Visitation will also be held Thursday morning from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at the church.

He died Wednesday, June 22, at the Pinehurst Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

A native of Many, LA, he resided in Orange since 1946. He was employed at the old rice mill and the old saw mill before working in the sanitation department for the City of Orange for 11 years. He was then hired by the Firestone Plant where he worked until his retirement from the labor force.

He joined the Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church when it was located on Godfrey Street. He sang in the choir, was active in Sunday school, and was appointed Deacon.

In June of 1966 he preached his first sermon. In Feb. of 1967 he was ordained as a minister. He was then appointed assistant pastor of Mount Calvary under the leadership of Pastor H.Y. Anderson. At the death of Rev. Anderson, in 1969, he was appointed pastor.

Known as “The Gentle Giant”, serving as pastor and the community for some 41 years, in 2010 he was bestowed the honored title of Pastor Emeritus of the Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church.

He is survived by two children, Dennis Brown and Gwendolyn Brown, both of Orange; three sisters, Rosie Lee Sibley of Orange, Carrie Lee Jones of Oakridge, OR, and Gloria Jones of Los Angeles; two grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.