Mary J. Brown

💔 Her Obituary 💔

LOVE. GENEROUS. LAUGHTER. KINDNESS. HEART. SOUL. GENUINE. INTUITIVE. FUNNY. STYLISH. BEAUTIFUL. LOVE. AGAIN, LOVE ❤️

These are the words that capture the essence of the life of Mary Rembis Brown throughout the 101 years she shared with her beloved family and friends. Her “joie de vivre” was evident in everything she did and everyone she touched. She will be remembered for her strength, intelligence, cheerfulness, sense of humor, graciousness, and kindness.

Mary was the daughter of Jacob and Anna Rembis, who emigrated from Poland in the early 1900s and eventually settled in Haverhill, Mass. The 10th of 11 children, she was proud of her Polish heritage. Every Sunday morning before church, Polish polka music would always be playing on the kitchen radio in their home, and her family was active in the Polish community.

During World War II, she was proud to serve her country as a crane operator at the Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine. Even then she liked to have a good time. She was always “watching her figure” so she never ate lunch at work. “The Navy fellas knew that I loved to dance, so every day different fellas would stop by my crane, and we would dance to the radio.” For that brief time, she traded in her clumsy work shoes for elegant high heels.

Mary enjoyed a loving, 57-year marriage with George. When George passed, her first words were “I just lost my best friend.” It is not surprising that the couple met a party, because both loved a great time with friends. If you met Mary or George at any point in their lives, you became a part of their extended family, and you would receive an open invitation to “come to the cottage” in York, Maine, to enjoy the sun, the sand, good food, great drinks and always lively conversation on the porch.

Mary and George were both raised in Catholic homes, and they gifted their children with a deep sense of faith. Over the years, Mary served her church as a member of the Catholic Daughters of America. Her faith formed her personality; she was the pillar that her family leaned against during difficult times.

Mary was a woman of many talents. She sewed outfits for herself and her children (who loved to wear them!), knitted and crocheted beautiful pieces, and caned chairs for the beach cottage. In her younger years, Mary loved to ski in the White Mountains and play tennis at the town courts. A lifelong learner and a strong advocate for education, in her 80s Mary began taking piano and art lessons.

Mary also passed her love of music to her children. Mary made sure they all took piano lessons and attended musical theater and concert events every summer. She loved to sit with her grandchildren and teach them to read, dance, play games, and laugh.

Mary was predeceased by her husband, George, and her great-granddaughter, Dagny Thompson.

She leaves behind four children, Beverly Soucy (Michael) of Pasadena, Md., Cynthia Verrill (Robert Moscato) of Hyannis, Mass., George Brown Jr (Debbie) of Alexandria, Va., and Kathleen Brown-Reid of Marlborough, Mass.; nine grandchildren, Joe, Debi, Elizabeth (Christopher), Christopher (Greg), Kevin, Grace (Patrick), Marc (Emily), Dylan (Carolina), Aaron (Brianna); two greatgrandchildren, Fiona and Roman; and family members Catherine Brown, Jean Gove, sister-in-law Marion Rembis, cousin Eleanor Eberhardt, and several nieces and nephews.

ALL are invited to the calling hours to be held at the Duckett Funeral Home in Sudbury, Mass., on Thursday, March 3, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. with the funeral Mass at noon at St Anselm’s in Sudbury. We also invite you to a lovely luncheon in her honor and a Celebration of her life for EVERYONE to follow at the Marlborough Country Club. Burial will be in the spring. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Dagny Foundation.