Hilda Patricia Parks Brown

Mrs. Hilda Patricia Parks Brown, formerly of Forest Park and Hampton, Georgia, passed away on Friday, August 14, 2020 at the age of 81. Hilda was born on December 3, 1938 in Calhoun, Georgia. She was a 1956 graduate of Calhoun High School. After high school, she attended Tennessee Wesleyan College and Young Harris College. It was in Atlanta that Hilda met the love of her life in a boarding house on 14th Street, and Jim and Hilda married on December 17, 1960. Together, they raised three children and were fondly known as “Maw Maw and Paw Paw” by their family.

After volunteering for many years, Hilda went to work for the Clayton County Board of Education as a Paraprofessional at Huie Elementary School. Sparking her desire to pursue a teaching career, she went back to college to finish her B.S. degree in Education where she was a 1982 Magna Cum Laude graduate from Georgia State University. Her career included teaching 4th and 5th grades in Clayton and Henry counties. Teaching and volunteering led to many awards and recognition, including Teacher of the Year and the Lifetime PTA Membership Award, but her greatest professional achievement was hearing that she made a difference in the life of a student and/or their family.

Hilda was also known to be a great cook and baker and lovingly shared those talents through catering and baking wedding cakes for family and friends. She was a Room Mom, Team Mom, and Sunday School Teacher, and Hilda’s heart for serving opened the door for a lifetime of wonderful memories and friendships. She was an active member of the First Baptist Church of Forest Park, where she taught The Believers Sunday School class for many years.

Hilda is survived by her sons, David (Jill) Brown of Jonesboro and Rick (Eileen) Brown of Locust Grove; daughter Becky (Todd) Willis of Senoia; grandchildren Olivia Brown, Josh Brown, Dan (Bianca) Brown, Parker Hayes, Helena Willis, Kaylin Willis, and Preston Willis. She is also survived by her niece, nephews, cousins, the “Sweetbriar Lane Gang” (a friendship of 55+ years), as well as those that called her their “Second Mom” or simply “Friend.” She is preceded in death by her loving husband of 52 years, Jimmy Howard Brown; her parents, Sherard and Inez Parks; and brother, Kenneth Parks.

Visitation will be Monday, August 17th from 5:00-8:00 P.M. at Thomas L. Scroggs Funeral Directors in Morrow. A funeral service honoring the life of Hilda will take place Tuesday, August 18th at 1:00 P.M. at First Baptist Church Forest Park with Dr. Timothy Deyton officiating. Interment will be at Pigott Branch Missionary Baptist Church in Ludowici on Wednesday at 1:00 P.M. Memorial Donations may be made to First Baptist Church Forest Park or Providence United Methodist Church (Fayetteville), Attention: Backpack Buddies Ministry.