Ann Y. Brown

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 am, Friday, July 14, 2017 at St. Mary of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church, Long Prairie, for Ann Y. Brown, age 71, who passed away Saturday at CentraCare Health Systems- Long Prairie. Fr. Omar Guanchez will officiate and burial will be in Bearhead Cemetery, Pillsbury. Family and friends may call from 4-8 pm, Thursday at St. Mary of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church and one hour prior to the service Friday at St. Mary of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church St. Mary’s Catholic Women will pray the rosary at 4 pm and parish prayers at 7 pm on Thursday at the church.
Ann Yvonne Russell was born June 7, 1946 in Minneapolis, Minnesota the daughter of Joseph T. and Carola (Loonan) Russell. She grew up in Minneapolis and was a graduate of St. Margaret’s High School. She attended and graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Elementary Education. She taught school at John Hay Elementary School in north Minneapolis. She later received her Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology at the University of Minnesota. She married Randolph T. Brown on June 5, 1971. She then taught school at Columbia Heights for one year. In 1972, Ann and Randy moved to Long Prairie. She taught school in Grey Eagle from 1972 until 1974. While Ann was raising her family, she continued to be a substitute teacher at Long Prairie Public and St. Mary’s School in Long Prairie. She then taught kindergarten at St. Mary’s School from 1988-1990. She later was a teacher’s aide at Long Prairie Public School. Ann loved teaching.
Ann was a member of St. Mary of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church. She helped found the Prairie Quilters Group, served on the Long Prairie School Board, and took part in a ski club, birdwatchers group, and a Sunday Coffee Group. She enjoyed, gardening, fishing, camping, canoeing, traveling, attending many hockey games, and spending time with her family.
Ann is survived by her husband, Randy, Long Prairie; sons, Benjamin (Eva) Brown, Chongqing, China, Mark (Katee) Brown, Minneapolis, and Daniel (Meghan) Brown, Melrose; father, Joseph Russell, Minneapolis; siblings, Patricia (Richard) Evans, Fairfax, VA, Mary (Ken) Winters, Falcon Heights, Margaret (Bill Dane) Russell, Minneapolis, Joseph (Barbara) Russell, Decorah, IA; Kathleen (Joyce Zifko) Russell, Ashland, WI, and Carol (Johan) Vastviet, Finoy, Norway; three grandchildren, William, Bennett, and Joseph Brown.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Carola.