Obituary

Shirley Bell Brown, 84, of Swannanoa, went home to be with The Lord and Savior on Monday, June 30, 2025.

Shirley was born August 13, 1940, in Buncombe County, NC to the late Zebulon Vance and Mary Allison Pressley. Shirley was the absolute best cook and baker and was known as “Nana” and “The Cookie Lady”. Shirley enjoyed helping others, working in Awana, and especially loved working in the nursery at New Life Community Church where she was also a founding member. Shirley worked at Beacon Manufacturing and retired from the Billy Graham Training Center with 23 years of service. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends.

In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her siblings, David, Weldon, Billie, Pauline, and Gladys; and granddaughter, Hannah Brown.

Those left to cherish her memories include her husband, Austin Brown; daughters, Krystal White (Shane), Teresa Suttles (Stacey), and Stacy Brown; son, Mark Brown (Debbie); brother, Bud Pressley; grandchildren, Chastity Watson (Beau), Tyler Honeycutt (Rosalie), Jordan Dalton (Shawn), Kaine Dalton (Katie), Karlee Searcy (Paul), and Bethany Brown; great grandchildren, Wynnsday Watson, Colson Chapman, Finnley Searcy, Graham Chapman, and Lochlan Searcy; and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends Thursday, July 3, 2025, from 1:00 to 2:00pm at Harwood Home for Funerals. A celebration of life service will immediately follow at 2:00pm at the funeral home with Rev. James Lamb and Rev. Steve Harris officiating. The burial will be in Mountain View Memorial Park.