Esther Aretta Brown was born on October 2,1935 to the late Aaron and Ruth Jones in Inkster, Michigan.  She was the 7th child in a family of 9 children, including 3 brothers and 5 sisters.  She began her walk with Christ at an early age attending Springhill Baptist Chruch where she was baptized.   

Esther attended Inkster High School and graduated in 1954.  She really enjoyed being a member of the band playing the French Horn.  One of the highlights of her childhood was playing softball with her brother Aaron.  She still had a picture of herself as the team pitcher in her black and white shoes.  She was so proud of this picture.

Esther worked as a machine operator at General Motors Powertrain Willow Run for over 20 years where she retired.  She held other jobs working as a clerk at Allen Supermarket Meat Department and boutique, as a nurse aide at University of Michigan Hospital and a school bus driver with Inkster Public Schools.

After high school at the age of 18 she married Charles Shreve and they welcomed their baby daughter Madonna into the world.  Unfortunately, after 18 months he passed away.  She married at the age of 20 Alfonso Brown whom she met at U of M.  Al was a widower with 4 children: Alfonso Jr., Yolanda, Sonya, and Renee.  This was an extraordinary gift she gave to the Brown Family, a gift of love, sacrifice, and commitment.  

As Yolanda later told the story, my dad married into a beautiful family.  Esther was a beautiful mother; she always treated us like her own.  She stuck with us through thick and thin, the only woman I call Mom.  She was the best thing that ever happened to our family.  Yolanda valued the gift of Esther.  Then shortly came Susan and they became a family with 6 children.  

Esther is described by her family as loving, kind, caring, God-Fearing, patient, a great cook that would feed anyone who came by her house, and an outstanding baker.  She was well known for her famous potato salad.  She just had a heart of gold.  Always looking for ways to help her family and friends.  Her mother described her as being her child that would give you the shirt off of her back.

She loved to travel but not getting up early.  She looked forward to going to her manicure appointments.  Esther got so much joy attending family events, including picnics, playing bingo, and Thanksgiving Dinner.  She spent many years taking care of her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.  Esther loved to dance, and her favorite song was Some Enchanted Evening by the Temptations.

Esther had a heart that touched everyone that she met.  She was so supportive of her family: as Esther (her name sake in the Bible) was a savior of Israel, she was the anchor for her family. 

Ephesians 4:32 encourages believers to be kind, compassionate, and forgiving towards each other, Esther was preceded in death by her parents Aaron and Ruth Jones, sisters Naomi James, Viola Gist, Helen Dotson, Maria Allen, and brother Aaron Jones, Jr, son Alfonso Brown Jr, and grandson Bryant Brown, Jr. 

She leaves to cherish her memory: her children, Madonna Rhodes, Yolanda Brown (Jackie), Sonya Brown, Renee Brown, and Susan Payne (Chauncey), Grandchildren: Samuel (Leticia) Bonam, Barry (Carlotta) Rhodes, Ana (Koudous) Rhodes, Maurice Amica Jr., Christian Brown, Lonique Owens, Laverne Brown, Sarah (Anthony) Starks, Chauncey Payne, Jr, Brandon Payne, LaMona L. Young, Ashanna Jones, and Christopher T. Brown.  33 great grandchildren and great great grandchildren, 2 brothers Warren Jones (Shirley), Robert Jones (Cenellia) and 1 sister Sharon Austin and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.