Rosa Brawner's Obituary
Rosa Louise King Brawner was born in Franklin County, Arkansas on June 7, 1927, the fourth daughter of William Emmett King and Effie Eula Johnson King. She is survived by her daughter Teresa Brawner Bevis, her son-in-law David P. Bevis of Fayetteville, her two grandchildren, Thomas Emmett Brawner Bevis and Rose Elizabeth Bevis both of Fayetteville; two sisters Irene Keaton of Springdale, Susie Duncan of Ozark, Arkansas; two brothers Jimmy King of Mountainburg, Arkansas and Champ King of Mulberry, Arkansas
Louise married Thomas Albert Brawner in California in 1948, and in 1951 she gave birth to their only surviving child, Teresa Lynn. Shortly afterward the family moved to Kuwait, where her husband was head of American Independent Oil Company in Kuwait City. While in Kuwait she became the primary distributor of American movies for Kuwait and several surrounding countries as the chief agent for Modern Film Corporation of New York City. In this position she supplied English-speaking current movies to businesses and organizations throughout the region, including the British and American Embassies, and the ruler of Kuwait at the time, Abdulla Al-Salam Al-Sabah, and other members of the Kuwaiti royal family. Because they were among the handful of American families living in Kuwait during the 1950s and 1960s, she had the oportunity to entertain English-speaking visitors in her home, from all over the world, including many American diplomats, foreign heads of state and members of several Middle Eastern royal families. During these years she and her family had the opportunity to visit more than 50 countries, and circumnavigated the world.
After the family's return to the United States, Louise established and operated Louise's Gift Gallery for several years in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
Louise was an avid reader, and read everything from nursery rhymes to her grandchildren, to books by Stephen Hawking. She was a proponent of literacy, successful businesswoman, simultaneously creative and frugal, an advocate of children, loved flowers, was a talented gardener, wonderful cook, devoted wife, and an outstanding mother and grandmother. She passed away in Fayetteville, Arkansas on Saturday, May 22, 2010. Louise was a beautiful person, inside and out, and she will be forever loved and missed by her family. She was 83.
Funeral service will be 11:00 A.M. Wednesday May 26, 2010 at Nelson Berna Chapel. Family visitation will be Wednesday 10:00 A.M. at Nelson Berna Funeral Home in Fayetteville.
Visitation Date Time Wednesday May 26, 2010 10:00 AM Visitation Location Nelson Berna Funeral Home Service Date Time Wednesday May 26, 2010 11:00 AM Service Location Nelson Berna Funeral Home Chapel
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