Mary Jo Browne

Preceded in death by her parents Dr. Wilfred and Florence(Sellman) Rowell, her beloved husband, Donald, and their daughter, Mary Kathleen (Kathy). Survived by her sons and daughters-in-law, Stuart and Mun-Hyon, Steven and Paige; grandchildren, Kim and Marshall Browne, Isabel, Dashiell and Eleni Jo Browne.

Mary Jo was born on January 24, 1934 in Grand Rapids, MI, and started a 16-year stretch of moving around the state of Michigan due to her father’s medical career and his active service in World War II from May 1942 to December 1945. 2.5 years at Detroit’s Redford High, and then spring of Junior and a full Senior year at Alpena High, where she graduated in 1951. Mary Jo was voted “Most Studious Girl” and was 5th overall in class rank (future husband Don was #1). Found a steady 4-year home at Michigan State University where she was a proud member of the Delta Gamma sorority and graduated in June 1955 with a BA in Child Development and Teaching. Armed with her degree, she headed off to Ann Arbor and taught 2nd grade at Haisley Elementary School.

Then one day, as she was looking for emery boards in the old Kresge five and dime at North University and State Street, she bumps into her former Alpena High classmate, Donald Browne. A new chapter would begin with Don’s proposal that included “I can promise you an interesting life” – which is a favorite saying of British diplomats. Married in 1958, the next 8 years found them living in Tunisia, Guinea, a Mary Jo 6-week medical stay at an Air Force base outside Casablanca, Boston, MA, West Lafayette, IN, and finally Golden Valley, MN. 4135 Leber Lane became their true home for the next 54 years of their life. Raising 3 kids, 2 collies and seeing Mary Jo love nothing more than to cook for and host dinner parties with a well-appointed dining room table, as well as feeding her family and their friends in the kitchen nook.

Mary Jo also cherished those days of hitting downtown Minneapolis for a day with Elaine Larson. Started with parking in the Dayton-Radisson ramp, browse-then-buy through the Dayton’s women’s shoe department on the first floor and, of course, lunch at either the Dayton’s Sky Room or the Young Quinlan Fountain Room. But Mary Jo also decided in the early 1980’s that her “Most Studious Girl” persona was ready to make a comeback. Went to the University of Minnesota and in June 1986 earned her MA in Historic Restoration and Housing. From there she went to work at the Minnesota Historical Society and then followed that with a number of Events Coordinator and Catering jobs in the Twin Cities – including working with D’Amico on catering an event for NFL owners at Earle Brown Center during the 1992 Super Bowl.

Mary Jo’s “golden years” were spent with Don doing a lot more traveling. Loved going to New Zealand, where she even had a weaving loom sent home, and going to Jolly Olde England and visiting those family/miner roots in Cornwall. But Mary Jo and Don had treasured 2 dates on the calendar. One was visiting the families of Stu and Steve, although that meant little kids were going to museums and Colonial houses! The other was the late June/early July 2-week-stay in the U.P. of Michigan where they could eat Cornish pasties and watch the Lake Superior sunset with the Eagle Harbor Lighthouse flashing its red and white beacon.

Finally, a big thank you to the team at Folkestone in Wayzata for caring for Mary Jo and Don these past 5 years. You provided both a supportive home and a level of dignity to their final years. Memorial service will be held later this fall at St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, 519 Oak Grove St., Minneapolis. Private interment Lake View Cemetery, Calumet, MI.

Memorials in her memory are preferred to the Kathy Browne Memorial Endowed Study Abroad Scholarship Fund (Donor ID: 935-107179), c/o Advancement Services, Saint John’s University, PO Box 7222, Collegeville, MN 56321.