Obituary: Michelle Denise Brown-Boswell
Michelle Denise Brown-Boswell of Ladson, South Carolina, a former longtime resident of Montclair, died on June 2, 2022. She was 68.
Ms. Brown-Boswell, affectionately known as “Chee-Chee” or “Cheech,” was born to the late John and Dorothy Brown in 1954 in Montclair.
At an early age she joined St. Paul Baptist Church, where she was a member of the Junior Usher Board and later became a member of the Voices Choir.
She attended the Montclair public schools and graduated from Montclair High School in 1973. During her high school years, she was a member of the Original Soul Stompers at St. Peter Claver Church.
Ms. Brown-Boswell loved the Soul Stompers and liked drilling so much that she became their first captain, a position she thoroughly enjoyed. Her wittiness, contagious smile and pride in her big red afro led her friends to nickname her “Lucy.”
She received a certification in cosmetology from Wilkerson Academy in East Orange. During that time she was employed at The Willow Cafe and later at the DLV Lounge. Over the years, she worked as a customer service representative with various companies.
Ms. Brown-Boswell joined New Hope Baptist Church in East Orange and was a member of the Adult Choir.
In 2000, she was hired by Verizon Wireless in Morristown, which later relocated her to South Carolina. While at Verizon, she held several customer support and supervisory positions until her retirement in 2017.
Her favorite quote was “But God,” which is why she always ensured she joined and remained grounded in the church throughout her life.
After relocating to South Carolina, Ms. Brown-Boswell joined Lord of the Harvest Christian Faith Center in North Charleston, where she developed and implemented a support group for substance abusers called Faith Recovery Empowerment Experience. Later she joined Westley United Methodist Church, where she supported the health ministry.
She was an avid reader and loved to shop. The highlight of her life was spending time with family, especially her niece and nephews; they were truly her heartbeats. She was always the life of the party and a die-hard Dallas Cowboys fan.
Ms. Brown-Boswell is survived by her sisters, Valerie Brown and Andrea Ward (Eric); niece, Nakida Brown; nephews, Michael Green, Sean Lewis-Ward and Christopher Ward; great-nephew, Shahaad Sutton; bonus sister and brother, Cynthia Greene and Glen Reed; goddaughter, Tameka Bryant; extended family, Theresa Boswell; godparents, Lawyer and Patricia Williams, and a host of other family members and friends.
She was predeceased by her parents, John and Dorothy Brown; maternal grandparents, Horace and Mary Sue Bigsby; aunt, Barbara Reed, and bonus brother, Walter “Wally” Reed.
A memorial service will be held 2 p.m. Friday, July 1,at Martin’s Home for Service, 48 Elm St.