Joan Brown was a pillar of this church for many years. Light hearted and full of can-do spirit, she brought a common-sense good humor to any task, working hard and humbly behind the scenes.
Many of us in the congregation aspired to be Joan Brown when we grew up. She was calm, sensible, and independent. But Joan also had an incredible ability to connect with children and make them feel that they mattered. Her ability to get on a kid’s level, to tell a story with enthusiasm and wonder, held everyone spellbound, kids and grown-ups alike. She took to heart Jesus’ words, “Let the children come to me and do not hinder them for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.“ It is fitting that this playground bear her name.
Who was Joan Brown? She was a single woman, a Magnolia resident, who worked at Beverly Hospital for many years. She was born in England but emigrated to the US with her parents when she was just 3 years old. Early on, her family moved to Magnolia where her father worked as a landscaper and caretaker for some of the large Magnolia estates.
Joan was a multidimensional person. Creativity and adventure were among the strong themes in her life. She learned oil painting and created beautiful coastal scenes from around the area. Rockhounding was another interest.
Not only did she dig for and collect the rocks, but she polished semi-precious stones and made them into jewelry, sometimes selling her creations at craft fairs. Music was another interest, adding her pure alto to several community choirs as well as in church. Joan enjoyed travel too, and ventured as far as China in the 1990’s. An avid walker and golfer she loved to venture out in the early mornings even when she was in her 90’s.
Joan also dedicated her time to serving the church and the community. At one point, she opened her home to many young Gordon College women, offering them housing for $5.00 a week. She supported the Open Door by helping to serve meals and by delivering the church’s collected food to the food pantry. Easter mornings were made extra special with our sunrise service at the rocks followed by breakfast at Joan’s house and an Easter egg hunt in her yard. Over the years Joan hosted many meetings and Bible studies at her home, too. At church she served as a deacon, a Sunday School teacher, and a VBS teacher among other roles. In her retirement, she extended her love of children as a volunteer babysitter for Wellspring House programs.
When she was in her early 90’s, Joan sold her house on Magnolia Ave. and moved to an assisted living facility. Upon her death a few years later, she left money to the church, which Union has used to create this safe play space not only for the church children, but for all the children in Magnolia. We hope that Joan would be pleased and that her legacy of caring for children will continue on at Union Congregational Church.
