Beloved matriarch turns 100

And just like that, Flossie Manns Brown is 100 years old! Born August 30,1925 in Radford, Flossie was the second of ten children of Hattie and James Manns.

She lovingly remembers growing up in the house on the hill in New River, and has fond memories of her

siblings, Elizabeth, Christine, Nenzerine, James Jr., Charles, Lillian, Andrew, Betty and  .

It was in the home that she learned to cook, clean, help to care for younger ones and started her

faith journey. As soon as they could walk, Sunday school and church were a must. She attended  Flossie worked at Radford College and retired from Corning Glass.

Flossie and her husband, Randolph Brown, himself one of ten boys, raised their family in New River, where they instilled in their seven children a strong sense of family, work ethic and faith. From seven children, a legacy of 18 grandchildren, 44 great-grandchildren, and 19 great-great-grandchildren endures.

Sometimes the road has been rocky. Her daughter Tampra died in 1978, Vanessa died in 1999, Thomas died in 2012, and her eldest daughter, Patricia died in 2025. Through it all, Flossie turned to her faith to carry her through.

Today, her son Phillip lives less than five minutes away, her daughter, Bernita, from New Jersey, is her full-time caregiver, and her youngest son, Rev. Montie Brown, who also lives just minutes away, is the pastor of her home church, First Missionary Baptist in New River, where she serves as Mother of the Church.

Flossie’s Radford Public Library card is quite active – she reads a book almost every week and loves the large print selection. She works persistently at word search puzzles and reads the Bible daily. If you visit, you will find her dressed and always looking pretty with her hair combed and a matching headband. She credits her still beautiful and soft skin to Ivory soap and Noxzema! Her family physician, Dr. Charles Judy, keeps her healthy and encourages her to stay active as long as possible.

Her many titles include Mama, Ta Ta, Aunt Flossie, Mother Brown and friend. She is like a mother to her many nieces and nephews, and a devoted big sister to her brother Charles and her sister/niece, Ava. She likes to tell them, “Call me if you need anything, I can’t do it, but I have someone who can do it for me.”

Flossie has been able to age in place as she always wished, aided by her daughter Bernita, sons Phillip and Montie, and the rest of her family who have rallied around her. As one granddaughter recently put it, “Ta-Ta has always been here for us, and it is an honor to be here for her.”

Flossie’s family recently managed to pull off the surprise of the century! On August 30, she was honored with a spectacular centennial birthday celebration with over 200 of her friends and family at Omni Place Event Center in Fairlawn.  Smiling, she said, “They finally pulled one over on me. I had no clue!”

Reflecting on her life, Flossie is grateful for family and friends who have always and still continue to look out and support her. She hopes that her legacy will be one of family, love and faith.

“Love one another” is her mantra.