Mary Brown

Mary Derderian Brown, 87, of Tinton Falls NJ, formerly of Lynnfield, died Tuesday, June 23 at the Renaissance Gardens section of Seabrook Village. She was born in Milford, Massachusetts to Kavork and Mushginaz Derderian who were Armenian immigrants to this country, and grew up in Biddeford, Maine. While she started kindergarten not knowing any English, she went on to become the valedictorian of her high school class and graduated from Bates College in 1943 with a bachelor's degree in math and a minor in chemistry. She got a job working as an engineering assistant at General Electric in Lynn, Massachusetts. It was there that she met her husband, James, and they resided in Lynnfield, Massachusetts. They then moved to Scotia, NY where they lived for 30 years and raised their family. While living in NY, Mary was an elementary school substitute teacher and also an accomplished pianist and taught piano lessons to neighborhood children. In 1986 Mary and her husband moved back to Lynn and Hyannis Massachusetts where they enjoyed many summers on Cape Cod and spending time with Mary's sisters and brother and their families. She and her husband were members of the Centre Congregational Church in Lynnfield. Beginning in her 60s, she authored over one hundred crossword puzzles which appeared in a variety of publications – most notably The Boston Globe and The New York Times. She continued developing crossword puzzles well into her 80s. In 2001, they moved to Tinton Falls to be closer to their daughters. Mary enjoyed quilting, the opera, writing short stories and poetry, drawing and painting, watching the Boston Red Sox, and the challenge of creating crossword puzzles. Her artwork regularly appeared in the Seabrook Village art shows. Wherever she lived, her sweet personality and selfless nature touched the lives of many.

She was predeceased by her parents, her loving husband of 54 years James David Brown, her brother Setrak Derderian, and her two sisters Agnes Devejian and Rose Tatian. Surviving are a son and daughter-in-law, Randall and Lynn Brown of Little Falls, NY.; two daughters and a son-in-law, Sandy and Warren Houck of Middletown, NJ, and Deborah Brown of Red Bank, NJ; and four grandchildren, Willow and Krista Houck, and Alec and Zoe Brown. She is also survived by seven nieces and nephews and their families.
Services will be held at the McDonald Funeral Home, 19 Yale Ave., Wakefield, Friday at 11 o'clock and interment will be in Beverly Farms, Mass. In lieu of flowers, contributions to the Kavork and Mushginaz Derderian Scholarship Fund, Bates College, Lewiston Maine 04240, would be appreciated.

Read Mary Brown's Obituary and Guestbook on www.mcdonaldfs.com.

Service

McDonald Funeral Home
19 Yale Ave.
Wakefield , MA US 01880
Friday, June 26, 2009, 11:00 AM

Cemetery

Beverly Farms Cemetery
100 Haskell Street
Beverly , MA US 01915
Friday, June 26, 2009, 12:00 PM