Amelita "Lita" Brown

Lita Huffman Brown, 79, passed away on Saturday, June 1, 2024.

Lita was born to Bill and Amelita Huffman in Norfolk, VA on May 2, 1945. She spent the majority

of her formative years in Charleston, SC, and graduated at the top of her class from Ashley Hall.

She majored in English at Salem College and completed a Masters Degree in English at the

University of Maryland. She was a former school teacher of both middle and high school age

children.

Lita was a loving and devoted wife and mother. She met her husband, Tom, while in high school

and they were married for nearly 60 years. Lita and Tom raised four sons: Tad, Alex, Will, and

David. They also have seven grandchildren: Alex Jr., Madison, Thomas III, Hadley, Stella, Zoe,

and Leo. A committed mother and grandmother, Lita always made time for countless tennis and

soccer tournaments, family trips to North Carolina, and outdoor adventures. She was the

matriarch of a medical family, including a physician husband and four sons in the medical field.

To say Lita loved to read would be a vast understatement. She owned a library of books and

always had a good book recommendation. She was actively involved with multiple book clubs

and immensely enjoyed discussing ideas with family and friends. She never stopped her pursuit

of knowledge, even after being diagnosed with a fatal illness, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

(ALS).

Along with learning, she loved to tend her garden and provide a sanctuary for birds. She was a

photographer and especially enjoyed capturing images of flowers and insects. She was also an

avid cook and loved to host family gatherings. She played the piano and enjoyed listening to

many genres of music, especially the Beatles, Leonard Cohen, and folk music.

Lita was passionate about many important issues. In the 1970s, she marched the streets of DC

in support of women’s rights. More recently, she dedicated many hours in effort to register new

voters. She was a regular contributor to many nature conservatory groups and cared deeply

about the trees, animals, and the environment as a whole. She was very involved in the

Episcopal church, and completed a four-year program in education for ministry from the

University of the South at Sewanee. She loved her church family at Saint Francis of Assisi,

where she was an active member, including volunteering at the Altar Guild and Senior Center.

Lita is survived by her husband, Tom; sons Tad, Alex (Nancy), and David (Cora); seven

grandchildren; and siblings Bill Huffman and Felicia Merritt. She is preceded in death by her

beloved son, Dr. William Brown; mother, Amelita Huffman; father, William Huffman; and many

beloved pets.

The family gives special thanks to the staff at Select Specialty Hospital, especially nurse Brenda

Hadden and Dr. Bill Goldsmith, along with her devoted sister Felicia who was very active in her

medical care.

A memorial service will be held July 6th, 2pm, at Saint Francis of Assisi in Gulf Breeze, Florida.

In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to the ALS association (www.als.org) in Lita’s

name.