Martha L. Brown, 84

June 22, 2022

Martha Lynn (Marty) Brown, 84, died on Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at St. Anne’s Retirement Community, Columbia, PA. She was born on April 24, 1938 in Baltimore, MD, but spent most of her life in Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of the late Frederick William and Hilda Elizabeth (Taylor) Stielper. She is survived by her loving husband of 62 years, Thomas F. Brown Sr. She was a devout Catholic all her life, most recently a member of the parish of Mary Mother of the Church, Mount Joy, PA.

She graduated from Harrisburg Catholic High School, (now Bishop McDevitt) in 1956 and from St. Joseph Hospital School of Nursing in Lancaster, PA in 1959. Her first job was in Emergency Room at St. Joseph’s, where she met Tom. Through the years, Marty worked as an RN in various places to accommodate raising her children. Marty was a quilter and loved sewing and crafts. But her greatest passion was Girl Scouting. As a girl Marty earned her Curved Bar in 1955, the highest award for a Girl Scout at that time. She was a Girl Scout for over 70 years, volunteering in many positions from Troop Leader and Day Camp Director, to Board Member for Penn Laurel Girl Scout Council. She attended five National Council Meetings, three as a Council Delegate. She visited all four World Centers of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, located in the UK, Switzerland, India and Mexico. In 1997 she was co-leader for a trip to a Girl Guide Camp in Kenya for eight Senior Girl Scouts from Penn Laurel. Marty received the Thanks Badge for Adult Girl Scouts in 1984 and the Thanks II badge in 2012. She also received the St Anne’s award for Catholic Girl Scout Leaders.

Marty and Tom loved to travel. They visited 49 of the 50 states, missing only North Dakota. On their own or with Armstrong, they traveled in Europe, Australia, China, and enjoyed six cruises. They loved being “on the road again” in their travel trailer.

In addition to her husband Tom, she is survived by her children: Thomas F. “Chip” Brown Jr. and his wife Cyndi of Harrisburg, Teresa Marie, wife of Brian Zellner of Harrisburg, and Mary Frances, wife of Richard Goss of Lancaster. She is also survived by her sister Janetta Ruth, wife of Richard Brenner of Harrisburg. She dearly loved her grandchildren, Madeline Elizabeth Brown of Baltimore, Thomas Franklin Brown III, of Harrisburg, and Alexis Caroline Goss, of Lancaster.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania, 350 Hale Ave, Harrisburg, PA 17104 or St. Anne’s Retirement Community, 3952 Columbia Avenue, Columbia, PA 17512. Family and friends will be received from 6PM to 8PM on Tuesday, June 28, 2022 at the Charles F. Snyder, Jr. Funeral Home and Crematory, 3110 Lititz Pike, Lititz, PA 17543. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11AM on Wednesday, June 29, 2022 at Mary Mother of the Church, 625 Union School Road, Mount Joy, PA 17552. Friends and family will be received from 10AM until the time of service. Interment will follow at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery, Lancaster, PA.