Claire H. Brown

PORTLAND - Claire H. Brown, 87, of Portland, died June 1, 2014 at the Barron Center. She was born in Boston on Dec. 23, 1926, a daughter of William Joseph and Cecilia Veronica Lynch Hannon. Claire was a 1944 graduate of Girl's Latin School and a 1947 graduate of Faulkner Hospital School of Nursing in Boston. On November 6, 1949 she married Harold W Brown at St. Andrew's Church in Forest Hills, MA. They moved to Freeport, Maine where they resided until 1968. They then moved to Portland where they celebrated 62 years of marriage. Claire worked for many years as a registered nurse at Maine Medical Center, retiring in 1989 as head nurse of eye surgery. Claire was very involved with the formation of St Jude's Church in Freeport. She was then a daily communicant at St. Patrick's Church, serving as a daily lector, a member of The Women's Council and a CYO leader. She was a past member of the Women's Literary Union; Woodford Women's Club; Firehouse Gang Bridge Group of Cape Elizabeth and Cheverus Mother's Club. Claire was predeceased by her husband Harold in 2012; a son Philip Brown in 2005; two sisters, Constance Byrne and Frances Keiran; two brothers, William Hannon, Jr. and Charles Hannon. Survivors include a daughter Maryanne Connolly and husband Thomas of Portland; two sons, Stephen Brown and wife Pamela of Portland, Paul Brown and wife Lisa Ferrigno of Newport, NH; four sisters, Joan Carver and husband Joseph of East Walpole, MA, Mary Pepi and husband Vernon of East Walpole, MA, Kathryn Hannon of Norwood, MA, Ruth Hannon and husband Charles Franich of Milton, MA; 9 Grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Special thanks to all the wonderful people at Home Instead, VNA Home Hospice and the Barron Center who helped her through her last year. Visitation will be held 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday June 5, at Conroy-Tully Crawford Funeral Home, 172 State Street, Portland. Prayers will be recited on Friday, June 6 at 9:15 a.m. followed by a 10:00 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial at Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 307 Congress Street, Portland. Burial will follow at New Calvary Cemetery, South Portland.Donations in her memory may be made to Wayside Soup KitchenPO Box 1278Portland, Maine 04104Online condolences may be expressed below.