Florence Brown Clower

June 4, 2018

Florence Rebecca Brown Clower, 95, of Maurertown, VA, passed from this life June 2, 2018. She was the wife of Harry C. Clower Jr., now deceased. Born December 12, 1922 in Mt. Airy, MD, she was the daughter of Raymond G. and Edna Matthews Brown. Florence was a graduate of Mt. Airy High School and graduated from Towson State Teachers College in 1943. She received her Masters in Education from Madison College in 1976. Her first teaching job was at Black's Schoolhouse #7, a one room school in Taneytown, MD. She later taught at Damascus Elementary School in Maryland and both W.W. Robinson and Toms Brook Elementary Schools in Virginia. Florence was a member of Calvary Methodist Church in Mt. Airy and later a member of the Saumsville Christian Church in Virginia. In addition, she had membership in the American Angus Assn. Auxiliary, the American Border Leicester Sheep Assn., the Suffolk Sheep Assn., the Saumsville/Fairview Junior Homemakers Club, and the Shenandoah County Farm Bureau. Florence was an active participant in the Maryland State Fair, winning the Ladies Lead Wool and Sheep Competition for five consecutive years. She also competed with sheep in the Virginia State Fair, wining the overall Grand Champion in 2003. For many years Florence accompanied her son-in-law, Dr. Tom Burgess, in carriage driving competitions and was affectionately know in the driving community as "Queen Mom". She is survived by sons, Richard Clower of Mt. Airy, MD and Ron Clower (Maggie) of Fishersville, VA; a daughter, Gloria Burgess (Tom) of Bridgewater, VA; grandchildren, Randy Clower (Katie Edwards) of Lancaster, NY, and Kim Clower of Phoenix AZ; and two great grandchildren, Cali and Kai Clower, both of Lancaster, NY. Florence was preceded in death by five siblings, R. Gwynne Brown Jr., Preston Brown, Walter C. Brown, David D. Brown, and Virginia Leatherwood Swain. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Walnut Springs Christian Church, c/o Rhonda Sager, 311 Hidden Lane, Strasburg, VA 22657. A graveside service will be held in Sunset View Memorial Gardens at 12 p.m. Thursday, June 7. Arrangements are in the care of Dellinger Funeral Home, Woodstock, VA.