Carolyn Dee West Brown

Carolyn Dee West Brown exchanged her earthly address for a heavenly one on August 6th, 2025 with her eldest son Joseph and his wife Vonnie at her bedside. She was preceded in death by her husband Lane Brown, parents Raymond D and Lena B. Church, sister Elaine B. Bowers, brother Thomas Raymond Church, stepson Larry West and her little dog Goldie.

She is survived by her eldest son Reverend Doctor Joseph D. Askins Jr, daughter-in-law Rev. Avonne Joy Askins of Webster, New York, daughter Debra Lynn Carden, son-in-law Colonel (Ret) Dana Carden of El Paso, TX, son Michael Raymond Askins, daughter-in-law Martha Elena Rodriguez of San Antonio, Texas, stepsons Wayne West of Mesa AZ, Steve West of Fredericksburg, Texas. She has 11 Grandchildren 8 Great Grandchildren and many nephews, nieces and others that called her Oma.

Born in Rushville, Missouri on September 5, 1934, she and her family moved to El Paso, Texas when she was 14. She attended Austin High School. She graduated from Texas Western College with a degree in Elementary Education with honors. She taught in public schools for ten years before helping start a private Christian school at the Jesus Chapel in El Paso, serving as the administrator and a teacher. Later, she and her second husband James West built a successful Amway business.

After the death of her second husband, she moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico where she lived with her daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter for eight years. She later moved to Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, where she lived for 18 years. She was active in church and helped at their church school. She also regularly attended the lady’s prayer group. During the week she also enjoyed her time spent with her best friends Totsie, Shirely and Judy. She traveled to Alaska several times to visit her brother, Tom and sister-in-law, Darla. She also traveled to Israel with her son and daughter-in-law’s Living Faith Ministries. In 2010 she married her third Husband Tomie Lane Brown who was a widower at the church she attended. Lane preceded her in death in 2019.

In 2021, after suffering a stroke, she moved, along with her dog Goldie, to Webster, New York to live out the rest of her life with her eldest son Joseph and daughter-in-law Vonnie. She loved getting artwork and poems from her youngest son Michael who had just visited with her before her passing. She would hang them all around her bedroom to enjoy every evening. She was an avid reader of western novels and loved to watch old western movies. She spent many hours mastering crossword puzzles. She also loved to sew but hated to cook. Her constant companion Goldie her dog was her lap warmer until her passing in November 2024. Her favorite song was “In The Garden” which she listened to as she would read her Bible and pray for her family and friends.

There will be calling hours and a memorial service immediately following at Newcomers East side Funeral Home on August 18, 2025 at 5PM EDT. The memorial service will be available to view live on the Newcomer Website.

Interment will be at the Western New York National Cemetery in Pembroke, New York. 

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Trees for Israel Trees for Israel Certificate | Jewish National Fund-USA | Jewish National Fund-USA or to Living Faith Ministries please note for “missions”