Jeanne Barksdale Brown Horsley

Jeanne Barksdale Brown Horsley, known by her family and friends as “Susy,” died Friday, December 8, 2017 at Litchford Falls Nursing and Rehab in Raleigh following a courageous struggle with Lewy Body Dementia. She was 71 years old. A Memorial Service will be held at 3:00 PM Sunday, December 17, 2017 at St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, Reidsville with Dr. Richard Miles officiating, followed by inurnment in the church Columbarium. Visitation will be at Wilkerson Funeral Home on Saturday, December 16th from 4:00 – 6:00 PM Jeanne was born in Lynchburg, Virginia, October 24, 1946, to St. George Ambler Brown and Jeanne Barksdale Brown and was raised in Tullahoma, Tennessee, where she was educated in the public schools and was active in Girl Scouts and was a loyal manager of the girls basketball team. She would remain a fervent sports fan for the remainder of her life. She received a B.A. in Education from George Peabody College (of Vanderbilt University) in Nashville, Tennessee, where she met her husband, William “Bill” Horsley. They were married February 8, 1969. From Nashville they moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina where she earned an M.A. in Teaching Social Studies from Wake Forest University. She taught at Kennedy Junior High School, where she was instrumental in integrating the faculty, for three years. While her husband was in law school at Wake Forest, she served as President of the Law Student Auxiliary, raising money for scholarships. She moved with her family to Reidsville, North Carolina, in 1972. She worked part-time at the Employment Security Commission county-wide. In 1979 she was employed by Miller Brewing Company as a quality control technician in the Reidsville can manufacturing plant. In 1989 she transferred to the Miller brewery in Eden, where she was also in quality control. She was forced to leave Miller in 1991 due to her rheumatoid arthritis. She was active in the community, serving on the boards of directors of the Rockingham County branch of the American Cancer Society, serving as President for two terms, Rockingham County Hospice, the Reidsville YMCA, Reidsville Federated Womans’ Club and Reidsville Senior High School PTO. Other community work included participating in the Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, campaigning for the Equal Rights Amendment for the Rockingham County Democratic Party, volunteering at the Annie Penn Memorial Hospital gift shop, driving for Meals on Wheels and was a member of the Reidsville Junior Service League. She also served as a volunteer at the Museum & Archives of Rockingham County for many years. She was a loyal and active member of St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church where she sang alto in the choir. She also served several terms on the church vestry, including serving as both Junior Warden and twice as Senior Warden. During both her terms as Senior Warden the church was without a Rector. She was a lay reader and chalice bearer. She also participated in a search committee. For many years, she was President of the Episcopal Churchwomen as well serving in many other capacities. She and her husband, Bill, loved Wake Forest University, especially athletics. They were lifelong members of the Deacon Club and football season ticket holders. She was knowledgeable about athletics and especially loved basketball. She and Bill began a couples dinner and book club in 1973, believed to be one of the oldest couples book clubs in North Carolina. She is survived by Bill, her husband of 48 years, daughters Jennifer (Douglas) Warner and Ann Claire (David) Mailly and eight grandchildren, about whom everybody in Reidsville has probably heard . They are: Emma Claire, Clayton (Clay), triplets Andrew, Lance and Meredith Warner, Grace, James and Patrick Mailly. She is also survived by siblings Emily Page Brown Cass (Douglas), St. George Ambler Brown (Debbie), Dallas Tucker Brown, Laurie McWane Brown Beamon and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents and step-father Robert Cary Jones. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church Endowment Fund, P. O. Box 72, Reidsville, NC 27320, the Reidsville YMCA “Bright Beginnings” Fund, 600 S. Main Street, Reidsville, NC 27320, or the Museum & Archives of Rockingham County, P. O. Box 84, Wentworth, NC 27375.