Essie Marie (Kelley) Gardner Brown, 98, of Lenexa, KS, formerly of Edina, MO, passed away on August 6, 2020 at AdventHealth Hospital in Shawnee Mission, Kansas as a result of complications following a fall. She was born in Newark, Missouri on August 27, 1921, the daughter of Joe and Lucille (Nelson) Kelley. She attended Nelson School, Newark High School, and graduated from Edina High School in 1939.

Essie Marie taught in the rural schools of Knox County, attending summer school at N.E. MO State Teachers College (now Truman State University) for five years.  On June 3, 1944, she was united in marriage to Harry Gardner of Edina, Missouri, who was serving in the Air Transport Command during World War II. They were married in the Methodist Church in San Rafael, CA. She worked at the Sunny Hills Orphanage in San Anselmo and later at the London Guaranty and Accident Insurance Company in San Francisco.  Harry was stationed at Hamilton Field where he served under General "Hap" Arnold, flying among the islands of the Pacific.

In November 1946, Harry was honorably discharged and they returned to Edina to make their home.  They had five children: Vivian, Linda, Jennifer, Paul and Mark.  For 17 years, Essie Marie worked as the librarian in the Knox County Library, retiring in 1981.

On March 21, 1978, Essie Marie lost her husband, Harry, who was killed in a car wreck near Brashear, Missouri.  On September 2, 1981, she was married to Elmer Brown of Burley, ID, in the Edina Methodist Church.  For the next 26 years, they spent the winters in Edinburg, Texas, where they made many friends,

and the summers in Edina and Burley, ID, where Elmer's children lived.

Essie Marie is survived by her five children: Vivian (Bob) Henry of Overland Park, KS, Linda (Stan) Williams of Topeka, KS, Jennifer (Bob) Leckbee of Odessa, MO, Paul (Johanna) Gardner of Overland Park, KS, and Mark (Valia) Gardner of Ozark, MO. She is also survived by 14 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren, two sisters-in-law: Lois Kelley of Camdenton, MO and Barbara Brown of Indianapolis, IN. Her sister-in-law, Mary Kay (Gardner) Myers, passed away later in the day, August 6, 2020, the same day as Essie Marie. Essie Marie is also survived by three step-children: Jerry (Della) Brown, Jeanne Lee Brown, and Rick (Kathie) Brown, all of Burley, ID; five step-grandchildren, 13 step-great-grandchildren and three step-great-great-grandchildren as well as nieces, nephews, cousins, and a host of friends.

Essie Marie was preceded in death by her parents in 1971 and her husband Harry in 1978, her brother, Dr. William Nelson Kelley in 2007, her husband Elmer Brown in 2013, and a granddaughter, Angie Hayes, in 2014.

Essie Marie was a member of the Edina Methodist Church, a 50-year member of Matilda Chapter #411 of the Order of the Eastern Star, and a member of the American Legion Auxiliary.  She served as a Sunday School teacher and performed other duties in the church; and served as Worthy Grand Matron and other star points and duties in the Eastern Star.

Her family was the most important thing in Essie Marie's life, and children were the love of her life. Her hobbies were reading and caring for her flowers.

Open visitation will be held from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Friday, August 14, at Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home in Edina, MO.   Eastern Star service will be at 7 p.m. on Friday, August 14.  A private family funeral will be held at Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home on August 15, and burial will be in Linville Cemetery beside her husband Harry.

Memorials may be made to the Edina Methodist Church, Matilda Chapter #411 O.E.S., Hospice of Northeast MO, Knox County Library, or the Knox County Nutrition Site.  Memorials may be left in or mailed to Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home, P.O. Box 1, Edina, MO 63537.