MaeDe “Joenelle” Brown Gordon, daughter of the late J. Arthur and MaeDe Myers Brown, departed this life on April 3, 2026 in Savannah, GA. at the age of 84.

She was a graduate of Burke High School (1958), Bennett College (1962), and Case Western Reserve University (1964). After receiving a Master’s in Social Work, she worked at Brooklyn College and Harlem Hospital in New York before being employed at Franklin C. Fetter Family Health Center in Charleston. After relocating to Savannah, she was employed by Westside Urban Health Center and taught at Savannah State College (now University). With her husband, she co-founded Statewide Health Care, Inc., a home care agency with offices in Savannah, Columbus, Macon, and Albany, Georgia. Joenelle volunteered with multiple community agencies serving youth and adults.

She was a devout member of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church (Charleston) throughout her youth and of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church (Savannah), serving as Senior Warden for many years and as a member of the Episcopal Church Women. Joenelle enjoyed the fellowship of The Links, Inc. and The Moles, two national Black women’s organizations.

She was preceded in death by her husband of fifty years, Charles Leroy Gordon, and is lovingly remembered by her sons J. Craig Gordon and Gary Gordon (Shavonna), her sisters Minerva T. King and Millicent E. Brown, brothers Wayne Gourdine (Eva) and Myles Gregory Brown.

Joenelle leaves to mourn her passing eight grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Savannah, Georgia.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to the MaeDe Esperanza Myers Brown Scholarship Fund.

Zelle or CashApp contributions at 404-310-4222 are appreciated.

Memorial services will be live-streamed at 11:00 am on St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church’s Facebook page: 

https://www.facebook.com/stmattsav/