People in Selma and Dallas County that have lost loved ones to violent crimes lost one of their biggest advocates last week.

Barbara Brown died Dec. 17, 2016, at the age of 74.

“She was just a legend,” said Dallas County District Attorney Michael Jackson. “That’s the best way I can describe her. Everybody knew Barbara Brown.”

Brown was an advocate for victims of violent crimes and was determined to shed light on senseless murders that took the lives of loved ones away from their families.

“She had a very strong personality,” Jackson said.

“She was very forceful. She got her point across, and fortunately we saw eye to eye on most cases.”

Jackson said he knew Brown for 25 years and has many memories of her in his office helping families of murder victims through tough times.

“She talked to me on many occasions on murder cases. She sat with victims that came up to my office,” Jackson said. “She’d hug them and cry with them.”

But Brown wasn’t just an advocate. She was a victim herself. Brown’s two sons, Brandon and Horace, were shot and killed 14 months apart in 1993 and 1994.

“Barbara Brown understood what people were going through,” he said.

Her sons’ tragic deaths sparked her passion for advocating for victims.

“That kind of drove her to advocate for victims because she knew the pain they were going through,” Jackson said. “So it was always good to have someone like Barbara Brown that could articulate the way they felt.”

Brown founded a group in Selma called Citizens Against Violence. She was also appointed to the Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission and served for many years. Brown also lobbied to have April 4 designated at National Anti-Murder Awareness Day and to have the purple ribbon adopted as a national symbol against violence.

Jackson said she helped victims through tough times, and even after a case was closed she made sure to continue her work by going to parole hearings.

“She did justice to make sure the perpetrators and violent criminals stayed locked up,” he said. “She took a big role and big part in that trying to make sure these murderers and violent offenders stayed locked up.”

Jackson said Brown was active in her role as an advocate to the very end. He recalled a meeting Brown held at Selma City Hall before new council members took office to let victims know about services offered to them.

“She meant a whole lot to the community,” he said. “She meant a lot.”

Funeral services were held Friday, Dec. 23. Brown is preceded in death by her parents, Robert Williams and Eloise (David) Williams Hales; two sons, Horace Brown Jr. and Brandon Brown. She is survived by her spouse, Horace Brown Sr.; daughter, Holly (Condredge) Brown Owens; two sisters, Davenia (Arthur) Godfrey and Constance (Anthony) Alexander; five grandchildren; one great grandchild; host of loving in-laws, nieces, nephews, and friends.