Rosalie Ellen (Arnson) Brown

Rosalie Ellen (Arnson) Brown, 87, of San Bernardino, California, passed away peacefully on December 13, 2024, in American Fork, Utah. Her life was marked by dedication to education, family, and service to others.

Born November 14, 1937, in Los Angeles, California to Julian Bernard Arnson Jr. and Ellen Myrline (Beall) Johnson, Rosalie spent her formative years in Phoenix, Arizona. Her early life was shaped by the loss of her father in 1944, and she was later blessed with a loving stepfather, Harley Ford Johnson.

A lifelong learner and educator, she earned her BA in Childhood Education from Arizona State University, working summers at Yellowstone National Park. She later enhanced her expertise with an MA in Special Education from California State University-San Bernardino.

On April 9, 1960, Rosalie married Franklin Willis Brown in Mesa, Arizona, beginning a partnership that would span 57 years until his passing in 2017. Together they raised eight children: Shawn (married to Helene), Nathan (married to Shaun), Ellen, Narda (married to Randy), Rachel (married to Jaime), Malinda (married to Heber), Joel (married to Jessie), and Emerald (married to Steve). Her legacy continues through her 25 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.

The Brown family's journey took them across the country, from Dover, Delaware to Tacoma, Washington, before settling in San Bernardino, California, where they made their permanent home. Rosalie worked for several years as an elementary teacher. When her children came along, she spent her time raising her growing family. Later she returned to education as a special needs teacher, before retiring in 2000.

A woman of faith and service, Rosalie was deeply involved in her church community, enjoying visiting as a temple patron every Tuesday in the final twenty years of her life and consistently extending help to those in need. She had a special gift for remembering others, faithfully sending greeting cards with personal notes to friends and family. Her home was adorned with her beloved collections of elephant figurines and many many books reflecting her appreciation for beauty and reading.

Rosalie is preceded in death by her husband Franklin Willis Brown, her father Julian Bernard Arnson Jr., mother Ellen Myrline Johnson, stepfather Harley Ford Johnson, and siblings Ronald Keith Arnson, Barbara Joyce Arnson, and Harley Beall Johnson. She is survived by her sister Linda King, and by her eight children, and their families.

Funeral services will be held on January 6, 2025, at Bobbitt Memorial Chapel, 1299 E. Highland Ave, San Bernardino, CA, 92404. Interment will follow at Mountain View Cemetery, 570 E. Highland Ave, San Bernardino. For more information, please contact Bobbitt Memorial Chapel at (909) 882-3761.  https://www.bobbittchapel.com/obituaries/Rosalie-Brown-2/#!/Obituary