Betty Ruth Larkin Brown was born on December 3, 1938, to the late Freddie Estell and Louise Thomas Larkin.

Betty Ruth attended school in the Hancock County School System. She met and married the love of her life, Joseph Brown, Sr. on December 8, 1956. They were married for fifty-four years and from their union seven children were born.

Betty Ruth gave her life to Christ at an early age and joined Union Baptist East Baldwin Church. She came from a singing family, and she loved to sing. Her children say she taught them to sing before she taught them to talk. She loved the Lord and started prayer meetings in the home every Wednesday night. She eventually moved the prayer meetings to the homes of the sick and shut-ins, the nursing homes, and the youth prison. The Brown family would sing wherever Mom and Dad would take them. Joseph and Betty Ruth started the Stars of Glory Gospel group, and they sang for over forty-five years. She also sang with The Abiding Faith and the Brown Family. The Brown Family recorded two CDs, and their theme song was “You Ought to Go Out To The Program Whenever the Brown Family Is In Your Town”.

Betty Ruth was an excellent cook. Some of her favorite dishes were buttermilk biscuits, porcupine meatballs, white potato pies and her world-famous sweet potato pies.

Her heart was for those who could not help themselves. Visiting the sick and spreading the Love of God to everyone she came in contact with. Some of her favorite sayings were, “I'm Betty Ruth and I'm gonna tell you the truth all night and all day”, and if you asked her how she was doing she would say, “I'm fine as wine the very best kind”, “I pray but I don't play” and “you got that right”.

Preceding her in death was her husband, Joseph Brown, Sr., son, Joseph Brown, Jr.; two sons-in-law, Tracy Harold, Melvin Warren, Sr.; and granddaughter, Kassandra Brown.

She leaves to cherish her memories: her children, Johnny L. (Regina) of Lithonia, GA, Louise Harold (Ler Ron) of Haddock, GA, Carrie Mae Warren of Milledgeville, GA, John Arthur of Kathleen, GA, Virgil June (Cynthia) of Milledgeville, GA, and Etta Renae Gray (Kevin) of Milledgeville, GA; daughter-in-law, Rosa Brown of Milledgeville, GA. She has 34 grandchildren, 36 great grandchildren and 3 great great grandchildren; survived by two brothers, Timothy Larkin of Pompano Beach, FL, and Virgil June Larkin of Milledgeville, GA; special mother, Eunice Dixon of Linton, GA; sisters, Carrie Mae Pearson and Rhunette Hall, both of Detroit, MI; sisters-in-law, Doris Larkin of Detroit, MI and Petronia Larkin of Pompano Beach, FL; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.