Anna Lee Bloch Brown, 85; past president of NCJW
Published February 22, 2012
Anna Lee Bloch Brown, past president of the St. Louis Section of the National Council of Jewish Women and of the St. Louis County Chapter of the League of Women Voters, died Sunday, Feb. 12. She was 85 and had been a longtime resident of St. Louis County.
Mrs. Brown was born in St. Louis on Nov. 16, 1926, the daughter of Josef and Corinne Schweizer Bloch. Her mother’s family was among the earliest Jewish families in St. Louis. Mrs. Brown’s great-great grandmother, Julia Eisner was born in St. Louis in 1847.
Mrs. Brown was a graduate of University City High School in 1944, and attended a year of study at Washington University. In August 1945, she married John E. Brown just after he completed his military service with the U.S. Army in Europe. Mr. Brown died in 2002.
Mrs. Brown’s major community activities were the St. Louis Section of NCJW and the St. Louis County Chapter of the League of Women Voters, each of which she served as president. She served as the local NCJW president from 1961-1963, during which the organization launched its County Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program and began planning for the Delcrest Apartments (now Crown Center) for senior residents.
“Mom was very modest and unassuming despite her leadership positions in the community,” said her daughter, Donna Rosenberg of St. Louis. “We wanted to share with the community her accomplishments. She was one of the youngest presidents of NCJW when first elected, and was the most senior of the surviving past presidents at the time of her passing.”
Survivors include four daughters, all of St. Louis: Nancy Powers, Donna Rosenberg (Alan), Suzanne Brown (Daniel Juarez) and Joanne Schwartz (Daniel); nine grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, Feb. 14 at Temple Israel, where Rabbi Mark Shook, Emeritus, officiated. Burial was at the New Mount Sinai Cemetery.
Contributions may be made to the National Council of Jewish Women-St. Louis Section, the John and Anna Lee Brown Scholarship Fund at Temple Israel, or BJC Hospice.
