Mary Margaret (Coty) Brown

March 18, 1923 - Nov. 1, 2020

SOUTH BEND, IN - Mary Margaret (Coty) Brown, 97, passed away November 1, 2020 at home surrounded by her family.

Mary was a lifelong resident of South Bend and attended St. Joseph Parochial School, St. Joseph Academy, and graduated from Central High School in 1940. She then attended St. Mary's College. Mary worked in administration and retired from Real Services, Inc.

She married the late Ralph C. Brown in 1947 and had five children, all of whom are surviving: Terrence (Mary) of Bremerton, WA, Gregory of South Bend, Christopher (Debbie) of Hollister, CA, Eric (Tami) of Mishawaka, and Lisa of San Jose, CA. She is also survived by eight grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and her sister, Phyllis (Robert) Himschoot of South Bend.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband; her father, Professor Gilbert J. Coty Sr.; her mother, Cecilia (Hirscher) Coty; her stepmother, Isabelle (Daugherty) Coty; her sister, Rita Ann Coty; her two brothers, Gilbert J. Coty, Jr. and Richard Coty; and her grandson, Matthew Michael Brown.

She was a devout Christian and a member of St. Therese Little Flower Catholic Church for nearly 70 years. Her adoration of God was evident, reflected in her cheerful demeanor, and generous and loving nature.

Mary was a volunteer for The Christ Child Society. She loved to sew, knit, and crochet, and in her later years, she took classes to become fluent in sign language. Mary was a lifelong Notre Dame sports fan, having grown up a mile from campus, where her father was a language professor.

Even though she was advanced in years, the enormity of this loss cannot be overstated, as Mary provided an environment grounded in faith, love and caring for her family, and was truly a guiding light for all lives she touched.

A Mass of Remembrance will be held for Mary at St. Therese Little Flower Catholic Church, Ironwood Dr., South Bend, IN for family and friends on Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 12:00 p.m. Visitation will be held at the church one hour prior to Mass.

The family would like to thank The Center for Hospice Care, Father Terrence M. Coonan, Jr., and Dr. Joseph Caruso for their outstanding compassion and care.

Memorial donations may be made in Mary's name to the church or Real Services, Inc.

To send private condolences to the family, please visit www.McGannHay.com.

01/10/2023 EJS