Obituary of Katherine B. Browne

Katherine B. "Brownie" Browne, 97, of 124 W. Fairmount Ave., Lakewood, unexpectedly went home to be with her Lord on Tuesday, January 4, 2011 at Heritage Park Rehab & Skilled Nursing. A lifelong area resident, she was born at home in Mayville on July 25, 1913, a daughter of the late George R. and Cerise Benjamin Brightman. She graduated from Mayville High School in 1931 and attended WCA's School of Nursing. Katherine served as a nurse at WCA from 1934 to 1938 and then privately from 1938 to 1940. She worked in WCA's maternity department from 1958 until retiring in 1982, and then again privately from 1983 to 1985. She had been a member of Lakewood United Methodist Church since 1941 and in earlier years belonged to Mayville United Methodist. Surviving are two sons, Philip A. Browne of Lakewood and David J. (Eleanor) Browne of Ft. Wayne, IN; three grandchildren: Jeannette M. (David Frey) Browne of Ft. Wayne, Melissa A. (Eric) Allen of Tucson, AZ and Christopher D. Browne of Ft. Wayne; six great-grandchildren: Jordain K. Spencer Browne, Cassandra M. Browne, Kristine M. (Steve) Mazur, and Sasha R. Allen, Kyla A. Allen and Tessa L. Allen ; two great great-grandchildren, Elliot Allen and Mina Mazur; and a sister, Marguerite Brightman of Mayville. Katherine was preceded in death by her husband, Maxwell F. Browne whom she married June 6, 1938 and who died June 26, 1971; a son, Melvin F. Browne in 1977 and daughter, Betty A. Browne in 2004; a granddaughter, Rebecca A. Browne in 1984; and a brother, John E. Brightman in 2009. The funeral will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday in the Lakewood United Methodist Church. The Rev. Violet A. Davidson will officiate. Burial will be in Sunset Hill Cemetery. Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Friday in the Lind Funeral Home, and for one hour prior to the service at church Saturday. Memorials may be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of WNY, 4976 Transit Road, Depew, NY 14043; the March of Dimes, 385 N. French Road, Amherst, NY 14228; or Lakewood United Methodist Church, 164 Shadyside Ave., Lakewood, NY 14750.