Ramona K. BROWN

BROWN, Ramona K. died at home on November 7, 2016 after a brief illness. She was born in Madison, Wisconsin on April 7, 1923, the only child of Margaret Carney and Roman J. Koelsch. Mona studied Art at the University of Wisconsin and there met her beloved husband, Timothy Brown, as members of the Spanish Club. Ramona was a wartime bride and after WWII Mona and Tim moved their family to Tucson, Arizona, where Tim was a professor of Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Arizona and later founded the Portuguese Department. Mona fell in love with the desert and its expansive horizons. She threw herself into many organizations including the Newman Center, Faculty Women's Club and Assistance League. Her true passions were world travel and friendships and she was energized by and constant in both. She possessed an elegance and joie de vivre that were inspiring. She is pre-deceased by her darling husband, Tim; her loving parents, parents-in-law, Timothy and Louise Brown; son-in-law, Thomas Beeston; dear cousins and many friends. She is survived by her daughters, Margot A. Beeston, Carol Brown Crews (Paul), and Lucia Brown Gibson (Steve); granddaughter, Andrea Decker Swanson (Drew); grandson, Kevin Gibson; great-granddaughter, Sophia Swanson; step-grandchildren, Lisa Caprina, Carin Crews Webb, and Randall Crews; step-great-grandson, Cicio Anichini. Also, Mrs. Walter Agard (cousin), trusted caregiver Xiomara Alas, and cherished cousins and friends. A Memorial Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 3, 2016 at St. Thomas the Apostle Chapel, 5150 N. Valley View Rd., Tucson AZ, 85718. Reception to follow. If you wish to honor Mona's memory, donations may be made to the University of Arizona, Department of Spanish & Portuguese, 520-621-1983.