Celebration of Life service for Melba Joan Brown will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, October 13, 2025 at Lawton Heights United Methodist Church with Rev. Christy Clark, Pastor officiating.

Burial will follow in the Blair Cemetery in Blair, Oklahoma under the direction of Becker-Rabon Funeral Home.

The service may be viewed via livestream through the Lawton Heights United Methodist Church Facebook page.

Melba Joan Brown, age 81, passed away peacefully at her home in Lawton, Oklahoma, on Monday, October 6, 2025. Joan was born on March 11, 1944, in Hobart, Oklahoma, to James and Frankie (Castles) Bailey of Blair, Oklahoma. The Bailey family relocated to Lawton in 1960 and Joan graduated from Lawton High School in 1962.

She went on to earn both a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Science degree in Elementary Education, as well as an MBA from Southwestern Oklahoma State University, where she met her husband, William Q. Brown.

A tireless and devoted educator, Joan taught for more than 30 years in the Lawton Public Schools system, instructing 4th-6th grades at Pecan Grove, Brockland, and Whittier Elementary Schools. She also served as an adjunct instructor at Cameron University, teaching shorthand, typing, keyboarding, and introductory computer science.

Raised in the Methodist Church, Joan accepted Christ at the age of 12 and shared her faith throughout her life. She served as a pianist and organist during her high school and young adult years and later contributed her business acumen as a Trustee at Lawton Heights United Methodist Church.

While education was her vocation, caregiving was her calling. Joan offered steady support and compassion to family and friends in both good times and bad. She found fulfillment in the simple pleasures of daily life - farming, horseback riding, square dancing, reading, sewing, gardening, and crochet - each reflecting her love of learning, movement, and creativity. Whether tending a garden, crafting something by hand, or spending time with loved ones, she approached every endeavor with warmth, patience, and quiet strength. Her life was a reflection of dedication, grace, and genuine joy in both work and leisure.

A loving wife and mother, Joan is survived by her sister, Gayle Konkol; daughters, Tina Brown and Paula Bachman; son-in-law, Gregory Bachman; and grandchildren, Kayla Coffey, Kate Bachman, and Luke Bachman.

Memorial contributions may be made to Lawton Heights United Methodist Church at 1514 NW Andrews Ave, Lawton, OK 73507.

An online guest book and sympathy cards are available at www.beckerfuneral.com