Avenell Perry Brown was born on August 12, 1934 in Centerville, TX to Alfred Lee Perry and Katie Mae Perry.   Her family soon moved to Houston, Texas where she attended Bruce Elementary and Atherton Elementary Schools. She graduated from E. O. Smith High School, later named Phillis Wheatley High School. After graduation Avenell continued her education by attending Madame Wardell Beauty School to become a licensed beautician.  Avenell met and married Willie Ray Brown where they welcomed five children.

Avenell was an entrepreneur  to her core.  In addition to owning and operating her own beauty salon, she also had a thriving housekeeping business where she fostered relationships with her clients where each thought of the other as true family members.  Avenell had quite a few passions. One of her favorites was fishing, and she was quite good at it. She could keep people entertained for hours with her remarkable fishing stories.  And as much as she loved fishing, gardening was her true joy. With her amazing green thumb, she was a gardening pioneer, harvesting farm to table fruit and vegetables long before "organic" was a thing. She grew and shared fresh fruit and vegetables with all, family, friends, and neighbors.  What she did not give away was preserved and cooked into delicious meals.  Avenell was an exceptional cook and loved to prepare delicious meals for the family to enjoy.  Another one of her passions was sewing and quilting. Nothing made her more proud than to be able to gift each one of her children and grandchildren a custom hand-made quilt to keep them warm, tell the story of their family's legacy and to cherish for a lifetime.

Avenell was the matriarch of her family, and respected by all who met her.  She was not only a mother to her children but also to the community who often sought her out for advice on life. Avenell was a woman of esteemed integrity, who ruled with a strong arm and who wouldn't hesitate to put you back in your place if you got out of line. But most of all, she was a family first woman and she loved and cherished them with all of her heart.

Avenell is preceded in death by her parents, Katie Perry and Alfred Perry, her son, Arnold Brown, and her granddaughter, Shemaiah Brown.  She is survived by her daughters, Gail and Donna, and daughter in law, Monica; two sons, Alfred (Ruth) and Arvin (Denisha); three granddaughters, Omriyana, Camille and Taylor, and one grandson, Remy; sisters, Lillian Wilson and Hazel Taylor and brother, Drs. Levi  Perry (Eula); and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family to cherish her memories. Avenell will be greatly missed from our lives but she will remain in our hearts.