Mary Josephine Brown

Mary Josephine Brown, born July 29, 1933 in Westwood, Colorado to Elizabeth (Lopez) Gallegos and Estevan Gallegos. She was raised in the mountains of Colorado and attended grade school in Summit County and Denver. While attending high school in Breckenridge, she was a member of the pep club, center guard on the girls basketball team and a member of the drama club. She left before graduation due to family illness. Graduation wouldn’t happen until 1971 in Craig when she received her GED. She furthered her education at Colorado Northwest Community College where she received an Associates of Liberal Arts and a certified nursing assistant certificate. She was one of the first students at CNCC when it was located at the Moffat School District Building on Yampa. A secretary certificate helped her gain several jobs and meet many interesting Craig citizens. Always a joiner, she was a charter member of the original Broomtown Players, Sweet Adelines, Moffat County Cancer Society, Yampa Valley Pregnancy Center, Compassionate Friends & Hospice. If that didn’t keep her busy enough, she was also a member of Alph Tau, V.F.W. Auxiliary, Red Hats and AARP earning her volunteer of the year in 2000.

She married Burvie Brown on March 23, 1951 and they had five children. Judith (Roy) Southard, Jane Brown, Anna (Gary) Thompson, Jayson Brown and Andrew Brown.

A resident of Craig from 1965 to 1991 and returning after the death of her husband in July of 1992. She has touched the lives of many. In 1993, she became a volunteer activities director at Sunset Meadows Senior Housing Center. That position became official as Moffat County Senior Citizens Activity director and only ended when her health became an issue in 2007. During that time, she also had a few columns in the Northwest Daily Press and the Daily Press called Relatively Speaking, In the Center of Things, and Senior Spotlight. She enjoyed keeping people in touch with what was going on.

She continued writing the senior spotlight until her health made it not possible.

Mary Jo is survived by her sisters, Maria (Larry) Keller and Berniece (Roy) James; brother, Joe Gallegos; daughters Judith (Roy) Southard, Jane Brown and Anna (Gary) Thompson; six grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren and six great-great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Burvie; brother, Charles Gallegos; two sons, Jayson and Andrew Brown; granddaughter, Stacie Southard; and her parents.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Leukemia Society of America, or to the Moffat County Cancer Society both in care of Grant Mortuary.