Feb. 14, 1927 — Nov. 13, 2007
MEDFORD, Ore. — Marion (Molly) Chatfield Brown passed away at the age of 80 on Nov. 13, 2007 at Rogue Valley Manor in Medford, Ore. She will be deeply missed by her family and friends, who so loved her for her boundless energy and passion for life. Molly was born on Feb. 14, 1927, daughter of Marion Wallace Chatfield and Albert Hayden Chatfield. She grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and graduated from the Grier Preparatory School in Pennsylvania before attending Smith College in Massachusetts, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education.
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After college, Molly taught elementary school in Boston for a few years before she met and married her husband, Frederick Brown. They settled in Ridgefield, Conn., where they raised four children and Molly became an integral part of the community, as a co-founder of the local cooperative preschool, Brownie leader, tutor for disadvantaged youth and active campaigner for social causes. During these years, she cultivated her passion for reading, sewing and gardening. With energy to spare, Molly made sure her family was enriched with cultural visits to New York and and historic sites throughout New England, as well as frequent skiing and backpacking trips-long before these activities were popular.
In 1967, Molly's pioneering spirit energized her family to move west to Colorado, where she embarked on a 20-year career as an elementary school teacher devoted to unleashing the joy of learning in kids. Molly adored the Colorado outdoors and made sure her children had ample opportunity for sporting and wilderness adventures. One of her proudest solo achievements was taking her teenage children on a two-month camping trip throughout Europe. In 1974, she and Fred continued their journey west to start a new life in Delta, Colo. after purchasing an 80-acre farm. Molly taught school, while zealously embracing a farmer's lifestyle-tending her garden, chickens, turkeys and fruit trees. During these golden years, Molly traveled the world with Fred, backpack style.
In 1989, Molly moved with Fred to Montrose, Colo., where Molly had a smaller, but still prolific garden and was a tireless volunteer with the Montrose Arts Council, League of Women Voters, Boys and Girls Club, and elementary school classrooms, as well as fighting for any local cause that needed fighting. Molly and Fred moved to Rogue Valley Manor in November of 2002, where Molly made fast friends and was involved from morning to night in cultural activities, book groups, bridge, classes and discussion groups, gardening, and the Fairy Godmother scholarship program.
Molly is survived by her four children: Marion Brown, of Brunswick, Maine, Becky and Michael Brown, of Seattle, Wash., and Fred Brown, of Montrose, Colo.; and five grandchildren, Abigail, Timothy, Christopher, Brenden and MacKenzie Brown. A celebration of life memorial service will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 28, at 4:00 p.m. at Rogue Valley Manor, in the Rogue Room at the Plaza. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Fairy Godmothers Scholarship Fund, c/o Rogue Valley Manor Foundation, 1200 Mira Mar, Medford, OR 97504.
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