Mary M Brown

Mary Francis Brown, age 82, passed away peacefully in Jacksonville, FL under the loving care of Baptist Hospital on February 26, 2018 after a brave battle with pulmonary and cardiac health challenges. Mary was born in the hard-working coal mine town of Bramwell, West Virginia on March 19th, 1935. Her parents were the late Robert Carson McFadden and Myrtle Lee Hill both of Virginia.

She attended Bramwell High School with graduation as class valedictorian with the expressed focus of becoming a compassionate care provider. Upon graduation she entered the Jefferson School of Nursing in Richmond, VA only to graduate and relocate to Galveston, TX where she was accepted to Baylor University to study cardio-thoracic surgery nursing technique during an era that allowed her to learn under the prestigious leadership of Dr. Michael DeBakey who pioneered the art of open heart surgery and transplant. Her career spanned over 35 years in the medical practice as an elite Registered Nurse with tenures at UF Shands Gainesville together with both Methodist and St. Vincent’s hospital in Jacksonville, FL. Upon her departure from the frantic and exacting pace of the surgical ward, she finished her nursing career by being part of another pioneering group of healthcare associates to open the first successful network of Ambulatory Health Facilities for St. Vincent’s Health network. Outside of being the maternal guidepost for her family, her hobbies included gardening, furniture restoration, sewing, quilting, reading and cross-word puzzles. Her most cherished hobby was her music which required countless hours of practice on her customized Lowery Organ. Her dedication to the art of playing was yet another testament to her strong will to practice to perfection. Mary’s life-long dedication to her nursing and the countless patients she nurtured back to health didn’t keep her from providing endless support to our community which included a collaborative drive to see Julington Creek Elementary become the first public school in N.W. St. Johns County. The school served as the tipping point for many other organizations she provided endless support to such as the Boy Scouts of America, the Julington Creek Athletic Association and Switzerland Volunteer Fire Department.

Mary was preceded in death by her two brothers; Donald Lee McFadden and J.W. McFadden. She is survived by her loving husband of 56 years, Andrew Brown and her three sons, Michael Brown (Michele), Wesley Brown (Elizabeth) and Tim Brown (Tracey), three sisters, Nancy Pennington, Louise Bello and Joyce Ann Williamson, sister and law Amparo McFadden together with seven grand-children and one great-grandchild with many nieces and nephews suitable for a grand family reunion.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 AM on Monday, March 5, 2018 at the Switzerland Community Church with a fellowship luncheon in Bardin Hall to immediately follow. The Family asks that all donations be made to her favorite charity, St. Jude Children’s Research Medical Hospital Memphis, TN. and Baptist Hospital of Jacksonville, FL.

Arrangements by: Neptune Society-Jacksonville (904) 733-4510.