Mary Virginia (Lawton) Brown, beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, and inspiration to many, passed away peacefully on January 24 surrounded by her family. She was predeceased by her devoted husband of 68 years, Edward H. (Buddy) Brown, as well as her cherished son-in-law Paul Abare. Mary's life was centered around her family, and she was a constant source of support, guidance, and encouragement. Her strength and resilience were a model to not only her children, but also her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and countless others fortunate enough to know her. Mary was a truly selfless person, and notwithstanding the demands of raising her seven children, she somehow managed to devote time and efforts to Catholic Charities, the American Heart Association, and the Rosary Sodality at her church, among other charitable organizations. Mary was born in Medford, MA, and was the daughter of Henry D. and Mary H. (Daly) Lawton. Before her retirement, Mary worked for many years as a bookkeeper for Hampden Reporting Service in Springfield. Following their retirement, Mary and Buddy bought a second home in North Port, FL, where they made lots of close friends, enjoyed many happy times, and won a number of Halloween Costume Contests due to their creativity and Mary's masterful handiwork. Mary and Buddy also enjoyed spending time with family in the Outer Banks, NC, and traveling with their children and grandchildren, and even visited Tanzania and the Galapagos Islands in their 80's, among many other exciting destinations. Mary is survived by her children, Edward H. Brown Jr., Mary V. Abare, Richard A. Brown and his wife Lynn, Margaret A. Brown and her husband Hugh Samson, Elizabeth Marini and her husband David Marini, Maureen B. Ezzo and her husband Jeffrey Ezzo, and Donna J. Manghan and her husband Kevin Manghan; by her grandchildren, Alexander Brown, Julie Abare Schmitt, Katie Abare, Lauren and Tricia Brown, Mary and Emily Samson, Maryellen Sartori, Michael Marini, Tony Belini, and Timothy, Caroline, Connor, and Quinn Manghan; and by her great-grandchildren, Zachary and Patrick Brown, Matthew and Grace Schmitt, and Will, Caelyn, and Allison Belini. A Funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, January 29th, 2021 at the Church of the Holy Name Jesus, 104 Springfield St., Chicopee, MA. Relatives and friends are welcome to attend, but in this COVID-19 environment, thoughts and prayers from a distance are just as appreciated. Interment will be held privately. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Mary's name to the American Cancer Society or to Catholic Charities.