Kern County CA Obituary Project Obituaries.....Brown, Melvin Arnett March 27, 2005
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K T bluewolf@onemain.com April 1, 2005, 10:29 pm

The Bakersfield Californian 
Melvin Brown
Services: Sat., April 2, 9:00 a.m.

Melvin Arnett Brown unexpectantly went home to be with the Lord on Easter 
Sunday, March 27, 2005, following surgery at San Joaquin Hospital. 

Affectionately known by family and friends as Mel, he was the third child born 
to Johnny and Merceded Hoskin Brown in Marvell, Arkansas, on February 28, 
1941. Both parents and an older brother, Naaman Brown, preceded him in death. 

Mels parents moved the family to Bakersfield in 1946 where he began his 
education at local schools, advancing to Sacramento State University for his 
BA, and later at California State University, Los Angeles, for his Masters 
degree. While living in Sacramento and attending college, he sang with the 
well known Voices of Inspiration Choir. His interest in music was also shown 
by his being choir director at his first church in Bakersfield, Pleasant View 
Baptist.

After earning his BA, he began teaching at Casa Loma Elementary School in 
1963. That same year he married his first wife, Helen Ramey, and from this 
union two sons were born: Christopher Melvin, now residing in Los Angeles, and 
Ameer Arnett of Bakersfield.

Mel organized and directed the first successful anti-poverty program, Target 
Area Program (TAP) in this city. Through this program he was able to help 
numerous people with employment, education, building self-esteem and obtaining 
civil rights. An account of these activities was highlighted in the book he co-
wote with Mrs. Johnnie Mae Parker, How Long, Not Long, and published in 1987. 
Mel ran this program until he was drafted into the Army in 1966.

Serving in the Army during the turbulent sixties of urban cities, American 
soldiers were often sent to put down urban protests and protect property. Mels 
refusal to do so because of his strong convictions nearly resulted in his 
being court martialed.

After military service he moved to Los Angeles where he began teaching English 
at Los Angeles Trade Technical College from which he retired in 1998 as Dean 
of Academic Affairs due to declining health.

He was active in numerous civic, educational, labor and religious 
organizations wherever he lived. Interested in financial improvement as well 
as the welfare of people, he co-founded an investment club in the 1970s with 
family and friends throughout the state. This club helped educate and provided 
financial opportunities for its members. He held memberships or offices in the 
NAACP (San Fernando and Bakersfield Branches), Kiwanis, Para-Psychology 
groups, Calvary Baptist Church of Pacoima and St. Peter RCCM which he joined 
after moving back to Bakersfield in 2003. Melvin became involved in a number 
of activities upon his return due to his passion for the community. They 
included being facilitator of the Purpose Driven Study Group, and Captain of 
Block by Block, an effort to improve the life of residents of East 
Bakersfield. As Executive Director of the Senior Center, he recently wrote a 
grant to expand senior services. With his walking buddies, a group of 
professional retirees, he organized a mentoring group for at risk kids.

Melvin is survived by his devoted wife, Marie, loving stepdaughter, Mia Jones; 
sons, Christopher and Ameer; grandsons, Paul and Ameer Brown; sister, Evelyn 
Chatman; and a host of family and friends.

Visitation will be held Friday, April 1, 2005, 12 to 8 p.m., Jesse E. Cooley, 
Jr. Funeral Services, 1111 California Ave., Bakersfield. Homegoing services 
will be held at 9:00 a.m., Saturday, April 2, 2005, at St. Peter RCCM, 510 E. 
Brundage Lane, Bakersfield. Interment at Hillcrest.

Jesse E. Cooley, Jr. Funeral Services 


Additional Comments:
Volunteer submission - No relation to deceased.

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