Joy Brown

Joy L. Brown, 51, of Galesburg, passed away Wednesday, April 8, 2009, at St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria after a long battle with cancer. Funeral services will be 11 a.m., Saturday, April 11, at Dennison Funeral Home in Viola, with visitation from 9 to 11 that morning. Burial will be at Viola Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the family, the Viola Volunteer Fire Department, St. Matthew Lutheran Church,Milan, or the Tazewell Animal Protection Society. Online condolences may be left at www.dennisonfuneralhome.com. Joy Lynn Brown was born March 27, 1958, in Urbana, Ill., the daughter of Ken and Jackie Lawson Brown. She graduated from Concordia Grade School and Bergan High School in Peoria. Her marriage gave her two fantastic sons. One of her greatest accomplishments was raising by herself, two great boys, Benjamin Yeater, Morton, Ill., and Kenneth Yeater, Galesburg. As a single mother with two young boys she put herself through Illinois State University. She was a special ed teacher for two years following her graduation. She then became a case worker for the Department of Human Services for the State of Illinois, first in the Peoria office then transferring to the Galesburg office. Joy took great pleasure in being able to assist people, she was such a helping person. In addition to her two sons, she is survived by her parents, Ken and Jackie Brown, Viola; a brother and sister-in-law, Sean and Susan Brown, Crystal Lake, Ill., with Joy's Godson, Kevin; her grandfather, Glenn Brown, Viola; many aunts, uncles and cousins and her second family at the DHS office in Galesburg. She was preceded in death by her beloved brother, Kevin, her maternal grandparents and paternal grandmother.