Nellie Marilyn Brown was born Oct 9, 1950 in Noorvik, Alaska to Evans and Flora Karmun. She passed on May 8, 2025 in Deering, Alaska. Nellie grew up on Birch Lane in Fairbanks, Alaska. She graduated from Lathrop High School in Fairbanks in 1968. She attended the University of Alaska Fairbanks earning a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology and Mathematics in 1972. Nellie worked as an accountant in Fairbanks. She married Charles Brown in 1982. Nellie, Charlie and her son Christopher moved to Deering to be near her parents. She worked for many years for the City of Deering as the Librarian and as the Postmaster.
Nellie and Charlie raised their kids in Deering and their home became a safe haven for Charlene Sampson, Rebecca and Tiffany Jones, Miranda Lewis, and granddaughter Mildred Lee, whom she called baby. Mildred would spend her summers with Nellie.
When she wasn’t playing solitaire, word searches or reading she like keeping track of things like birthdays and sending out cards and gifts. Nellie loved butterflies.
Nellie is survived by her son Christopher Woodle, daughter Leah & Don Orr- grandkids William and Tamora Orr, her son William Brown. Her surviving siblings Grace Thomas of Westport, Washington, Brenda Karmun and Roberta Moto of Deering, Florence Gamache of Killeen, Texas, Elsie Eckman of Anchorage, Harry Karmun of North Pole and Thomas Karmun of Fairbanks.
Nellie was preceded in death by her parents Evans and Flora Karmun, spouse Charles Brown, siblings Matthew Karmun, Dorcas Sears, and Richard Karmun, sister-in-law Anna Brown, brother-in-law Dick Brown, sister-in-law Patricia Karmun, her grand-niece Dorcas Ballot, first cousins Selma Newlin and Larraine Garrison and others.
The family would like to thank:
Deering Clinic staff
Deering IRA
Deering Native Store
Doyon Corporation
Ipnatchiaq Electric Company
Casket and cross makers, grave diggers and cooks
