Nancy Jane (Teesateskie) Brown, 78, of Cherokee passed away on March 11, 2013 at Cherokee Indian Hospital following a brief illness. She was a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and was a resident of the Painttown Community. She was a member of the Pentecostal Holiness Church of the Wolftown Community.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Sam Brown; her parents, Jonah Teesateskie and Dora Axelong Bigmeat; daughter, Edna Lucille Teesateskie; stepdaughter, Bettie Brown MIllsaps; brothers, Russell Bigmeat, Josiah Teesateskie, and Richard Teesateskie; sisters, Beulah Taylor, Mabel Walkingstick, Winnie Lou Bigmeat, Carolyn M. Bigmeat and Sarah E. Bigmeat; and grandchildren, Perfillia Lucille Bird, and Ricky Lee Wyatt.
She is survived by her children, Zenia Louise Brown and Anita Sue Brown; stepchildren, Diamond Brown, Sr., and Catherine Brown; brothers, Robert Axelong, Reuben Teesatuskie, Roy Teesatuskie, and Raymond Teesatuskie; sisters, Rose Ann Bigmeat Ziska, Rosalie Teesatuskie, Rowena Teesatuskie, and Ramona Standingdeer; grandchildren, David Andre Brown, John Daniel Bird of Birmingham, Michigan, Sam W. D. Bird, Sophillia Louise Bird Negara, and Vanessa Dawn Warlick of California. She is also survived by her best friend, Tommye Saunooke.
The family will receive friends on Thursday, March 14 at 5pm at the Pentecostal Holiness Church on Long Branch Road until the service hour of 1pm on Friday, March 15. Burial will follow at the Long Family Cemetery on Long Branch Road.
The service will be officiated by the Rev. Donald Ensley and the Rev. Betty Drake. Pall Bearers will be Andre Brown, Hawk Brown, Tyler Brown, Russell Bigmeat, Jr., John J. Stephens, and Sam Bird.
Long House Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. An online memorial is available at www.longhousefuneralhome.com.