Marva Claudette Brown (Collins) was born on February 15, in a year that is none of your business, to parents Irvington Ambrose Collins and Clarice Collins (Hayes) at Harlem Hospital in New York City.  Marva was born at a whopping 13 pounds and for all of her days she was larger than life with a big heart that had room to love everyone that she met.

Growing up in Harlem, Marva was an only child but was raised with cousins and under the watchful eyes of her beloved Aunts and Uncles.  As a child, Marva enjoyed speaking to the Irish police officers who patrolled her neighborhood, playing on the City College Campus and exploring the science laboratories, and playing handball, scraping her knuckles on the concrete of NYC parks.  She was a fierce street fighter who stood up for those who were bullied.  Eventually she became the big sister to Delores and Niles Barry.  Marva had a photographic memory and exhibited a very high intellect her entire life.  She was trusted by her parents to know the bus routes of New York City and, starting at the age of 5 years old, would ride from Harlem to Staten Island by herself.  In fact, her first job was as a token clerk for the Staten Island Ferry.  Then she worked as a clerk at Chock Full o'Nuts in Midtown Manhattan where she got to meet baseball great and civil rights icon Jackie Robinson.

Marva met her beloved Joseph (Joe) Brown, a transplant from South Carolina, at a social event.  They eventually married and welcomed their first born son Joseph Irvington Brown (playfully called Jib).  Joe was in the Air Force, so they moved to Albany, Georgia for a time where they welcomed their second child Lojuan Denise.  Upon returning to NY, Marva's father helped her get a job with the US Post Office.  Eventually Marva and Joe made their home in the Bronx River Projects where they had four more children - Craig Anthony, Chanda Daone, Randolph Stewart, and Marc Christopher.  A stay at home mother, Marva contributed to the family income by taking in washing and cleaning homes.  As the children became school age, Marva joined the NYC Department of Corrections working at the Bronx House of Detention.

Marva gave up her position with NYC Corrections when Joe got a job at Sing Sing prison.  They bought their family home on Spring Street in Ossining, NY in December of 1970.  While doing laundry in a laundromat, Marva saw someone washing a uniform and she asked, "Where do you work?" "Westchester County Department of Corrections (WCDOC)," she was told.  She ultimately applied and became a corrections officer.  An excellent test taker, Marva rose through the ranks within the WCDOC to become a Sergeant, Captain, and then Assistant Warden. She retired in 1994.  Over the course of her 24 year career, Marva was trailblazer and mentor to both inmates and officers within the Women's Unit.  She was recognized for her recruitment, gardening, cooking, and sewing, crochet, and knitting skills - all of which she imparted to those under her Care, Custody, and Control. As a supervisor, Marva was a beacon of integrity when it came to adhering to Standard Operating Procedures and would not hesitate to write up a subordinate.  She led with love though, once heroically saving an inmate who attempted suicide by hanging.

Outside of the jail, Marva spent time worshiping her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and studying her Bible.  She shared the love of Jesus with the many children in her life by teaching Sunday School at Calvary Baptist Church and teaching Vacation Bible School at St. Matthew's Church.  Being a part of the Calvary family brough much pride and joy to Marva as she loved talking about the Lord and all that he did for her, especially to the sick and shut in at the Hebrew Home for the Aged in the Bronx.  She communed over food, always cooking more than enough to feed the congregation and anyone else that walked in off the street.  She was a great cook and loved her own food.  She often hosted large family gatherings in her home and cookouts in her backyard.

The largest part of Marva's identity though, was that of Grandma and Big Momma.  Marva proudly boasted that she had nineteen (19) grandchildren, more than thirty (30) great-grandchildren, and 7 great-great-grandchildren.  And, while she had a harsh reputation of a Grandma that don't play and often threatened to "cut butts" or "get [her] nightstick" for those who, slammed her door or left it open and let the bugs in, or came in her kitchen while she was cooking, she LOVED to spoil her progeny.  Marva, while a good steward of what the Lord gave her, was a cheerful giver and often sent Christmas and Birthday cards with checks in them, bought cribs for new babies, or sent clothes for school, special occasions, or winter coats.  Always fashionable, she loved buying dresses for the girls, but also loved dressing the boys in three-piece suits. She loved seeing the children dressed up and lovingly commented on how "sharp" they looked or that they were "cleaner than the Board of Health." Marva loved receiving pictures of her family and proudly displayed them in her home.

In 1999 Marva bought her first computer and created her online moniker - the Queen Mother of NY, through which she was able to stay in touch with her family who were spread out all over the country.  She also developed friendships online through the many games she played over the internet. And while she whooped butts in spades and used her extensive vocabulary to win at Words with Friends, she was able to evangelize to people all over the world.  Her familiarity with the internet came in handy as she became more homebound herself and throughout the Pandemic.  She was able to attend church services online, and facilitate Bible Study and Prayer meetings over Zoom.

Marva was predeceased by her parents, her beloved husband Joe, her oldest son Joseph, daughter in law Deborah, and her brother Niles Barry Murphy.  She is survived her sister Delores Moore, children Lojuan Denise Esters, Craig Anthony Brown (Pamela), Chanda Falu, Randolph Stewart Brown (Tonia), Marc Christopher, a host of grand-children, great-grands, and great-great-grands, nieces and nephews, many cousins, her in-laws from Summerville, SC, and her brothers and sisters in Christ. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her.