Mary Jane Brown, age 90 of Seaford, DE passed away November 27, 2016 at Methodist Manor House in Seaford, Delaware following a brief illness. Mary Jane was born August 19, 1926 in Morning Sun, Iowa. She graduated from Morning Sun High School in 1943 and attended Iowa State University (class of 1947), where she met and married Melvin Henry Brown, PhD. of Millersburg, Iowa. They were married for sixty-five years before Melvin preceded her in death in 2011.

Mary Jane and Mel are survived by their four children: Marianne (and David) Grantz of Seaford, DE; William (and Michele) Brown of Apollo, PA; Robert (and Cheryl) Brown of Mobile, AL; and Ellen (and Brent) Agett of Jamestown, NY; by twelve grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren. Close family friend Judy Furey, of Greenville, PA, joined the family at Mary Jane’s bedside during her illness. She is also survived by her sisters Elizabeth Renner of Danville, IA; Leota Pilling of Mediapolis, IA; and Helen Baum of Iowa City, IA.

Mary Jane was also preceded in death by her parents Ellen (Hetherington) and Lee Stodgell of Morning Sun, IA and her sisters Millie Bied of Burlington, IA and Martha Irish of South Elgin, IL.

Mary Jane relocated from Iowa to Pennsylvania in 1949 when Mel took a position with ALCOA Corp of Pittsburgh. It is there that they raised their four children on a farm in Leechburg, PA. They were active members of Trinity Lutheran Church in Freeport, PA. A proud homemaker, she also worked for several years at the Penn State New Kensington Campus. Mary Jane was an avid seamstress and baker; known for her quilts and cinnamon rolls.

After retirement, Mary Jane and Mel lived in Morning Sun, IA and Lakewood, NY before settling in Seaford; where Mary Jane enjoyed the company of new quilting friends and her membership in Christ Lutheran Church.

A gathering of family and friends will be held at Christ Lutheran Church 315 North Shipley Street, Seaford, DE from 3-4pm on Friday, December 2, 2016. Funeral services will follow at 4 PMt.  Donations may be made to Christ Lutheran Church.

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