Grace D. Brown

Grace D. Brown, 91, of Hastings, formerly of New England and Virginia, passed away peacefully with her family by her side on April 17, 2023.

Grace was born August 22, 1931, to Edmund and Mary (Davis) Thomson in Westerly, Rhode Island and graduated from Haverhill High School in Haverhill, MA in 1949.

Two years later, she married Walter A. Brown, Jr., a fellow singer in the church choir on April 12, 1952. Walt took leave from active duty with the U.S. Marine Corps, having been drafted during the Korean War, so they could be married.

Over the next 20 years, while Walt was serving his country, Grace remained at home raising their five children through multiple deployments and permanent change of stations. Courtesy of the Marine Corps, the Brown Family moved multiple times, finally settling down in Dale City, Virginia in 1968.

In 1982, Grace launched her own career and spent the next 20 plus years as an Administrative Assistant for the United States Army Corps of Engineers in Ft. Belvoir, Virginia. After retiring from the U.S. Army COE, she worked various other jobs before moving to Minnesota to be closer to her daughters.

During her long life, Grace enjoyed cross-stitch, quilting, road trips with family, and a good cross word puzzle. She was a passionate and avid reader throughout her life – a hobby she passed on to several of her children. Grace loved genealogy and researching the history of her family. She was active in the Episcopal church throughout her life serving on Altar Guild, Vestry, Episcopal Church Women and helping in the church office. She loved animals, telling stories, and sharing the history of her family over a good cup of tea with milk (because that is how her English mother taught her to drink tea.)

Grace is survived by her children, Kenneth (Nancy) Brown of Clermont FL, Phyllis (Bob) Langenfeld, of Hastings, Beth (Tom) Wanamaker of Hastings and Stephen (Kelle) Brown of Apache Junction, AZ; grandchildren, Sean (Jeannie) Brown, Kristin (Matt Christman) Brown, Daniel (Cassie) Jordan, Christina (Dan) Marello, Tonya (Tyler) Woosley, Kelsey Brown, Marcus (Katie) Lodermeier; 21 great-grandchildren and sister, Faith Thomson of Coventry, RI.

She was preceded in death by her parents; spouse, Walter Brown, Jr.; son, Peter Brown and brother, Malcom Thomson, and her beloved dachshund, Doogie.

In lieu of flowers and in honor of Doogie, please direct any donations to Emotional Rescue LLC, P.O. Box 521, Hastings, MN 55033.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, April 29 at 2:00 PM at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 615 Vermillion Street in Hastings. A visitation will be held from 1:00 – 2:00 PM at the church prior to the service. A private interment will take place at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia at a later date.