Mary Frances (Saunders) Brown, affectionately known by those who knew and loved her as Mary Fran, passed away peacefully on Thursday, June 27, 2024, at the age of 88 at Saratoga Hospital in Saratoga Springs, NY. She was surrounded by her loving family and the compassionate care of the hospital staff.

Born on May 3, 1936, in Mt. Vernon, New York, Mary Fran always spoke fondly of her childhood memories. Her father, Michael Patrick Saunders, a department store executive and business leader, was devoted to his family and his charity work. Mary Fran's mother, Eleanor "Pookie" (Rice) Saunders also worked diligently to help the less fortunate, working for charities devoted to mental health and the elderly. Mary Fran especially cherished her memories of spending time at her maternal grandparents' home in Olive Bridge, NY, with its picturesque view of the valley and the Ashokan Reservoir, which Mary Fran's grandfather had a significant role in building. As her father built his career, the family moved for a time to Baltimore, Maryland, where they welcomed two new additions—Mary Frances's siblings, Christina (Saunders) Carton and Michael Patrick "Ike" Saunders Jr.—and where Mary Frances fondly remembered attending Visitation Academy, taught by cloistered nuns.

The family eventually settled into a comfortable home in the Mt. Airy section of Philadelphia. After graduating high school early, Mary Fran left home to attend the College of New Rochelle in New York, where her aunt, known as Mother Bernice, headed the psychology department. Following her graduation from New Rochelle in 1957, Mary Frances leapt into a teaching career—a career that would soon lead to travel, adventure, and an unexpected move.

Her teaching career began in Philadelphia, but a trip to Bermuda led to her looking beyond her hometown to more far-flung opportunities. She soon landed a job with the Department of Defense Overseas Dependents School System and was posted at the Naval Air Station in Bermuda, the island where she would later settle and start a family. In 1963, she married Bermudian Charles Edwin William "Charlie" Brown, a champion sailor who won the 1958

Western Hemisphere Hayward Trophy and sought-after electrician, and the couple made their home on Sunny Lane in St. George's, Bermuda. Mary Fran continued her teaching career at the Roger B. Chaffee School, where she was known as a tough but fun teacher to her students, three of whom included her own children over the years. Together, Mary Fran and Charlie raised three children: Susan (Brown) Kelley, Michael Brown, and Gregory Brown. Following Charlie's passing in 2000, Mary Fran moved back to the United States, living in various locations, including West Sand Lake, NY, and Milton, FL, to be close to her family. She spent her final years at Eddy Hawthorne Ridge in East Greenbush, NY and the final months at the Home of the Good Shepherd in Ballston Spa, NY, finding companionship among the residents and enjoying her favorite pastimes.

Mary Fran is survived by her children: Susan (Brown) Kelley and her husband, Douglas, reside in Pace, FL. They have two children: Megan Leigh Galbreath, who has two daughters, Kinley (7) and Adelynn (2), and Tyler Douglas Kelley, who has a daughter, Riverlynn (2). Michael Brown and his wife, Megan McLaughlin-Brown, reside in Rochester, NY. Mike's children are Gunnar and Jessica, Gregory Brown and his wife, Kim (Stevens) Brown, reside on the Isle of Man, with their children, Ava, Finn, and Lola. She is also survived by her sister, Christina (Saunders) Carton, and Christy's husband, Robert J. Carton; her brother, Michael P. Saunders, Jr., and his wife, Nancy Saunders; her niece, Tina Carton; and her nephew, Sean Carton. Mary Fran will be remembered fondly by her extended family and dear friends around the world.

Mary Fran had a deep love for reading, and crossword puzzles, often completing them in pen. She enjoyed an occasional gin and tonic, had a fondness for carrot cake, and was known to cook an amazing hamburger, hailed by her nephew Sean as "the best he ever ate…and probably will ever eat." A lover of the outdoors throughout her life, she found joy in skiing, snorkeling, and sailing. She had a special place in her heart for her Scottie dogs, Gus, Digger and Trudy, and even kept a ceramic Scottie in her room to remind her of her frisky friends.

In accordance with her wishes, there will be no memorial service. Mary Fran's ashes will be scattered in the Atlantic on an outgoing tide from the rocks near Building Bay in front of her former home on Sunny Lane. The family extends their heartfelt gratitude to Saratoga Hospital for the exceptional care and support provided to Mary Fran.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Mary Fran's memory to the St. Jude Shrine, 512 W. Saratoga Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 (https://stjudeshrine.org/contributions/).

Stephen King, one of Mary Fran's favorite authors, once noted, "You can't deny laughter; when it comes, it plops down in your favorite chair and stays as long as it wants." Like the laughter King described, Mary Frances Brown stayed as long as she wanted before moving on in the same way she lived her life: on her own terms with undeniable grace, courage, wit, and love. Mary Fran will be deeply missed but fondly remembered by all who knew and loved her.