Mary Ellen Paddy

Mary Ellen Paddy, 75, of Deale, MD passed away May 23, 2025. She was born January 8, 1950 in Prince Frederick, MD to Virginia Lee Trott and Thomas E. Paddy. She was raised in Deale, attended Deale Elementary and Southern Jr. High School, and graduated from Southern High School in Lothian.

Throughout her life she had a strong work ethic and dedication. Her first job was at the Deale Shop in Deale and she went on to work at Britt's Department Store at Parole Plaza in Annapolis. She worked for the Baltimore Sun in Baltimore for many years. In the mid 1980's, Times-Mirror Company bought the Sun and at that time she became the Distribution Manager for the Sun newspaper for the Annapolis area where she lived at that time. She has worked many part time jobs over the years, including Happy Harbor restaurant in Deale, Sears Roebuck, and 711 stores in Annapolis. Her last job was working for the State of Maryland in the Income Tax Compliance Division until she retired.

Mary loved music, mostly classic rock, and a few country artists, and she enjoyed going to music concerts. Daily, she looked forward to watching her soap operas and old western movies. Mary loved her family, and though she never had children of her own, she took great joy in celebrating the lives of her nieces and nephews- especially their birthdays, watching them open Christmas presents, attending graduations, weddings, baby showers, amongst many other significant milestones. She was also a long time member of the Deale Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary.

Mary had a warm, candid nature, and was never one to hold back her thoughts, but always spoke her mind with humor and sincerity. One dream she often spoke about was visiting Key West, Florida-to feel the sand under her feet, see the palm trees swaying in the breeze and visit Ernest Hemingway's home and see the famous six-toed cats. In November of 2024, even with her declining health, her family was able to make that wish come true. It was a joyful memory that gave her comfort and peace.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Thomas E. Paddy, Virginia Lee Trott Browning, and Norman E. Browning, Sr., and by her sister Robin Browning. She is survived by her siblings Dale Browning and wife Vickie of Berlin, MD, Norman Browning, Jr. of Gulf Port MS, Ronnie Browning of Shady Side, Jack Browning and wife Susan of Deale, Karen Browning George and husband William of Edgewater, and her cousin Herbert "Clark" Trott who she thought of as a brother.

Contributions in Mary's memory may be made to Deale Volunteer Fire Department or Hospice of the Chesapeake.