Reva G. Brown, 81, of Carthage, passed away at 3:00 AM Sunday, January 2, 2022, at The Elms Care Center in Macomb.  

Reva was born on April 22, 1940, the daughter of Gene and Lilly (McClary) Kelly.  She graduated in 1958 from Carthage High School.  On June 26, 1960, she was united in marriage to Robert L. Brown at the First Christian Church in Carthage.  He preceded her in death on September 18, 2019.  Reva had served as a dietary technician at Memorial Hospital in Carthage, a cook at Robert Morris College and had also worked at Methode Electronics in Carthage.  In her spare time, Reva loved to read and play cards, especially solitaire and rummy.  She could start and finish a lengthy book in a day or two, and proudly owned an enormous collection of books, all read by her at least once.  Most of her collection came from yard sales and auctions, which she loved attending with her husband and grandson, Tyler, every chance she had.  Some of her favorite things were iced tea, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, chocolate cake, flowers (both real and artificial), birds, and watching westerns, crime shows, and the Chicago Cubs on TV.  

Reva is survived by a daughter, Deborah Livesay of Rogers, Arkansas; daughter-in-law, Peggy Brown, of Plymouth, Illinois; grandchildren, Robert Tyler (Erin) Brown, of Carthage, Kourtnea Brown of Rushville, Illinois; Ben (Carrie) Livesay, Sam (Molly) Livesay, Daniel Livesay, and David (Emily) Livesay, all of Joplin, Missouri; and two great grandchildren, Leonardo Livesay and LJ Livesay; siblings, Jim Kelly of Carthage, Colin Kelly of Keokuk, Iowa; and Linda (Robert) Arnold of Medill, Missouri; also several cousins, nieces, and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Robert; her son, Robert “Bob” M.; a brother, David Kelly; a sister, Jeffories Kelly; and sisters-in-law, Dean Kelly and Becky Kelly.

Private family services were held at Printy Funeral Home in Carthage followed by burial in Moss Ridge Cemetery in Carthage.