From the Archives: The Love Story of Joan Winmill Brown and Bill Brown

February 8, 2025

Joan Winmill Brown, an actress originally from London, rejected the Lord and the Christian faith until being invited to a Billy Graham Crusade. As her fame rose, she realized her need for Jesus and came to know the Lord through counsel from Ruth Bell Graham, Billy Graham’s wife.

After meeting Billy Graham and being introduced to his film company, World Wide Pictures, she packed up and headed to the states, where she would star in the film Souls in Conflict.

Joan Winmill Brown with Billy and Ruth Graham

While on tour to publicize the film, she met Bill Brown, who served as her driver and promoter—a meeting that would soon prove to be divinely appointed. In her book, No Longer Alone, she detailed their first encounter saying, “He put out his hand and said, ‘Hi! I’m Bill Brown. Welcome to America!’ There was something in that greeting that made me take a long look at this handsome, virile American.”

The two would go on to spend much time together and enjoyed each other’s company but struggled to find time together outside of work. They confided in each other about their lives, background, and hopes for the future. Joan, speaking of her time with Bill, said, “All the time I felt a certain glow that I had never really known before.”

Later, Joan prayed honestly for guidance on remaining single or being married. In her prayer, she said, “If it’s your will, Lord, I surely would love to be married to someone like Bill Brown!”

One night that week, after Joan’s prayer, the two spent hours talking in a hotel lobby. While they had already spent the past five weeks together, they seemed to never run out of things to talk about. In conversation about being single, Bill said, “If I were going to marry someone, I sure would like her to be like you.”

In her playful spirit, Joan responded, “Why don’t you practice on me?”

In her book, she said, “With that he asked me to marry him; from then on the memories are hazy, but I do remember saying, ‘Yes!’”

Their wedding took place in Pennsylvania with over 200 family and friends in attendance. Joan recalls a moment of reflection in her book, saying, “As Bill and I took our vows, I realized the great solemnity of that moment. These were promises to God that we were making. Here we stood, two people from very different backgrounds, brought up thousands of miles apart, and yet all along God knew we would one day be led together and become one.”

Their 62-year marriage was filled with sharing the Gospel through testimony, creatively serving the Lord with their gifts, and cultivating a loving, supportive partnership and family.

While their lives certainly had a fair share of trials and struggles, their marriage and love for one another was rooted in Christ until both of their deaths.

Bill Brown passed away in April of 2017, with Joan passing just two months later in June.