UPDATE: All friends and family are welcome to the Rio Dell fire hall on Sunday, July 11 at 2 p.m. for a remembrance in honor of Billie Marie Griffith Brown.

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Billie Marie Griffith Brown was born on November 5, 1938 in Eureka to William and Elsie Griffith and passed away from dementia on March 12, 2021, with her family by her side. She was a resident of Fortuna.

Billie Marie was a fourth-generation Humboldt County native on five sides of her family — Caston, Light, Griffith, Brown and Cooksey ancestors coming to Arcata in 1850. Billie Marie attended Rio Dell Elementary and Fortuna High School. She was well known for being a favorite waitress at the Sportsman Cafe in Rio Dell and the Scotia Coffee Shop for over 40 years.

Billie Marie is survived by Jimmy Brown, her husband of 63 years. She was the mother to Marilyn (Richard) Summerfield of Reedsport, Ore. and Helen Marie (Doug) Dinsmore of Rio Dell. She was grandmother to Chris (Amanda) Summerfield, Glen Summerfield and Richard Summerfield and Laura Ann-Marie Dinsmore and Robert (Kendra) Dinsmore. She was a great-grandmother to Jesyka, Ginger and Gabe Summerfield and Kara and James Dinsmore. Brothers David , Tom (Barbara) Griffith and sisters Alice Thomson and Vickie (Alan) Aust. She was preceded in death by her son Jimmy H. Brown, Jr., parents William and Elsie Griffith, Brothers Lester, Leonard, Gerald, Raymond, Reece and John Griffith and sisters Margaret Webster, Irene Eacker, Betty Laustrup and Ruby Holmes. Services are being planned for a later date.

The family would like to thank First Choice in Fortuna for their compassion and the professional care they provided Billie during her stay at their care home.