"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith."

Deaconess Martha Annette Williams Brown, 67, of Chester, VA, completed her earthly journey and answered God's call on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA. She was born on July 8, 1958, to the late Jim and Martha Williams in Richmond, VA.

Deaconess Martha accepted Christ as her personal savior at Third Baptist Church, Petersburg, VA. At Third Baptist Church, she faithfully served as a Deaconess. She devoted many years of service as Chair of the Finance Ministry, guiding the church with wisdom and integrity. She was an active member of the Sunday School, the Women's Ministry, and the Wednesday Night Bible Scholar's Group.

Martha was a 1976 honors graduate of Petersburg High School. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, cum laude from Virginia State University in 1980, followed by a Master of Business Administration in Accounting from the Ohio State University in 1989. Martha was a licensed Certified Public Accountant, and she held credentials as a Certified Fraud Examiner and a Certified Government Financial Manager.

Martha was employed as an Accountant with the Defense Logistics Agency, where she remained dedicated and committed despite her health challenges and faithfully served until her death. She had over thirty-five years of federal government service and possessed extensive experience in Corporate Financial Reporting, Auditing and Financial Improvement, and Audit Readiness. She was employed at several federal agencies such as the United States Postal Service Headquarters, Fort Lee Army Base, and Defense Logistics Agency.

In the community, Martha was a member of the Virginia State University Reginald F. Lewis College of Business Alumni Advisory Board, she served on the board of directors for several federal credit unions. She held life membership in Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and was a charter member of Omicron Theta Zeta Chapter and was an active member of the Omicron Theta Zeta Chapter until her health declined.

Martha's life was a testament to faith in action, professional excellence, and service to others. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by her family, friends, church, and community.

Martha was preceded in death by her parents, Jim and Martha Williams; in-laws, Horace and Emily Brown; her sisters, Pinkie Williams Bland and Flora Evans; brothers-in-law, Ronald W. Dillard, Robert L. Pearson and Leroy Jackson; aunt, Doris Jacobs; niece, Sonia Murray; and nephews, Chandoise Murray and Cornelius Murray.

Martha leaves to cherish her memories, her devoted husband, caregiver, and best friend of fifty years, Deacon Carlton Brown of Chester, VA; sister, Deacon Adelaide Jackson of Petersburg, VA, her eldest and only surviving sibling; lifelong friends, Carolyn Saunders of Richmond, VA and Lanita Thweatt of Fairfax Station; sisters-in-law, Eva Murray and Olivia Moody (Larry) both of Petersburg, VA; brothers-in-law, Gene Pearson (Renee) of Chester, VA, Horace Brown (Carolyn) of Chesterfield, VA, and Richard Brown (Sharon) of Henrico, VA; nephews and nieces,  LTC Robert Jackson, USA, Ret. (LaTandra) of Chester, VA, Roderick Evans (Shante) of Dallas, TX, Dr. Crystal Wynn (Dr. Andrew) of Chesterfield, VA, Ramon Bland (Jamie) of Stafford, VA, Sean Bland (Torsten) of Santa Clara, CA, Stephan Pearson-Barber (Phannetta) of Richmond, VA, Korita B. Jones of New Kent, VA, Nabila Charity (Kendrick), Wadiya Pearson, Jamilla Vice (Travis), Darron Brown (Miesha) all of Wichita Falls, TX, Richard Williams of Patterson, NJ, Donyield Parks (Marlo) of Kileen Texas, April Evans, Chris Blakes, Robert Cutler and Benjamin O. Pearson; great nephews and nieces, Philip Jackson (Lucy) of Corpus Christi, TX, Daniel Jackson and Joshua Jackson both of Chester, VA, Angel Wynn and Anderson Wynn both of N. Chesterfield, VA; great-great niece, Monica Jackson of Corpus Christi, TX; and a host of cousins other relatives and friends.

Services will be held 12 Noon, Saturday, May 23, 2026, at Third Baptist Church, 550 Farmer Street, Petersburg, VA, the Rev. Dr. Kassandra Bullock, Pastor, eulogist, the Rev. Brenda Cherry, officiant. The interment to follow at Dinwiddie Memorial Park.

Family and friends are asked to assemble at the funeral establishment at 11:15 A.M. the day of the service. Also, the family requests that you wear a shade of blue for the celebration service in memory of Deaconess Martha Brown.

A family and friends visitation will be held from 6:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M., Friday, May 22, 2026, at the funeral establishment. The Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Burial Ceremony will be held at 7:00 P.M.

J. M. Wilkerson Funeral Establishment, Inc., 102 South Avenue, Petersburg, VA, (804) 732-8911, www.jmwilkersonsince1874.com. Watch the funeral services live online on our J. M. Wilkerson Funeral Establishment, Inc. Facebook page. Watch the funeral services live online on our J. M. Wilkerson Funeral Establishment, Inc. Facebook page or click here to view: https://vimeo.com/event/5950698?fl=so&fe=fs