AMHERST, Marian S. (Brown) Brown of Amherst passed away peacefully on February 27, 2017.  She was born in Hibbing, Minnesota on May 11, 1921 to Lawrence W. and Margaret (Grogan) Brown. 

Marian was the beloved wife of the late Bruce G. Brown with whom she shared 69 joyful years – marrying after knowing each other only 17 days.  She lived in Amherst for 70 years, most of the time on Bay Road in South Amherst, the last four years at The Arbors in Amherst where she made wonderful new friends and was looked after by a caring and loving staff.

Graduating from the University of Minnesota at Duluth, Marian taught briefly in Minnesota before taking a position teaching English in Everett, WA where she met Bruce who was serving as a legal officer in the United States Air Force. They moved back to Bruce’s hometown of Amherst in 1946. 

In addition to raising her two children, Marian was actively involved in Brownie and Girl Scout Troops, the Friendly Town program that brought children from Harlem to Amherst each summer, and the South Amherst Thursday Club. 

Marian over the years loved painting, skiing and golf, and was an avid Red Sox fan.  She also enjoyed traveling, with special trips to Italy, England, Spain, Greece and Norway as well as to her winter home in Florida.

She also loved poetry and was known and admired for her ability to recite many of her favorites.  In a somewhat different vein, she was also an accomplished joke teller, somehow never cracking a smile or forgetting a punch line.  Despite an active schedule she always found time to complete the New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle – typically by the end of the day.  She was a very doting and generous grandmother to her five grandchildren.

Two special relationships that gave Marian great joy began in the 1950s and continued for the rest of her life. Leslie Kremer, a neighbor’s child, was welcomed to the family so that she could finish high school when her family left the area.  Niels Peter Thorshaug, from Norway, joined the family as the first AFS (American Field Service) student in Amherst.  Both Leslie, living in Maine, and Niels, living in Norway, have maintained their connection by communicating and visiting regularly, including most recently, Marian’s milestone birthdays of 90 and 95.  Marian’s children, Margaret and Jeff, fondly refer to Leslie and Niels as Marian’s “good children”.

Marian is survived her daughter Margaret Shullaw and husband Steve Shullaw of Coralville, Iowa; her son Jeff Brown and wife Deb Brown of Amherst; two granddaughters, Amy Cox and husband Shawn Gunst of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Kate Platis and husband Jim Platis of Chicago, Illinois; three grandsons, Douglas Cox of Huntington Beach, California, Peter Brown of New York City, New York and Jack Brown and wife Jessica Brown of Amherst; great granddaughter Hannah Brown of Amherst; her sister Betty Hall of East Lansing, Michigan; and her dear friend Connie Hamilton of Amherst.  She was predeceased by her husband Bruce G. Brown, her brothers Colin, Robert and Donald and her sister Harriet Davis.

A private celebration of her life will be held at a later date.