Mrs. Loretta Carol Harkless Brown, affectionately known as "Retta, Annie, and Brown" to family and close friends was the daughter of the late Reverend Leo and Creola Jackson Harkless, Sr. She was born December 15, 1962, in Florence County and departed this life April 9, 2024.

Loretta C Brown attended the Florence County Public Schools. She worked as a daycare provider at B & H Daycare, Bethel Apostolic Church, Sunshine Daycare, and later Brown's Daycare. She dedicated 35-plus years of love and compassion to this life's endeavor. She was a member of the Church of Christ where she baptized and served faithfully as a founder of the Church of Christ Mass Choir. She was also a member of the
Gospel Travelers for 49 years. While passionate about church and childcare, she dedicated her time to helping other women to start over and succeed while single-handedly raising five children. She will dearly be missed.

In addition to her parents, Loretta was preceded in death by eight siblings Isaac, Dorothy, Paul Harkless, Roosevelt Harkless, Sr., Leo Harkless, Jr., Bernetha Boyd, Alberta Burnett, and Rebecca Nichols.

Mrs. Loretta C. Brown leaves to cherish her precious memories her loving children; four daughters Shanell Brown, Melissa (Will) Strawn, Karen Brown (All of Florence SC, and Casscietta Brown (Atlanta, GA), two sons Jonathan (India) Brown and Troy (Angie) Wright, both of Florence, SC; eleven grandchildren; H'alle Brown, Sydney Brown, Zoe Brown, Chance Brown, Kimber Strawn, Lincoln Strawn, Inayah Brown, Roderick Titus, Angelo Wright, Jamir Wright, and Kysen Wright; four brothers Moses Harkless (NC), David Harkless (SC), James (Paulette) Harkless (NC), and Thomas Harkless (SC); four sisters Mary Myers (MD), Rachel (Robert) Shannon of Sumter, SC, Elizabeth (Charles) Shannon of Sumter SC, and Maria Harkless of Florence, SC, godmother Johnnie Ruth Nichols, and a host of brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews and other family members, church family, dear friends, and special and close friends Ms. Beryl Plowdin, Mrs. Edna Mae Harkless, Ms. Veronica Murphy, Mrs. Diane Bryant, Mrs. Patsy Commander, Ms. Gracie Holmes, Joyce Ann Coker, Denise Prescott, Jermaine and Bernetra Nowline.

The family is receiving friends at 1001 Dixie Street, Florence from 4-8 PM daily.