Lorraine Brown

Beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great grandmother, aunt, and friend, Lorraine Marie Brown of Austin, TX, passed away peacefully at the age of 96 on Wednesday, September 3, at 7:02 pm, holding her rosary in folded hands. Ever vigilant in her concern for family, she cajoled most pf them into including her on the Find My Phone app on her phone. This enabled her to keep close touch on their lives. She said that when she followed you on Find My Friend, she felt like she was with you. And she had fun with it. For example, if she observed you at a nearby grocery store, she would often call with a small grocery order.

Lorraine loved having fun and lived life to the fullest. She watched and played golf, played bridge, knitted, walked (fast – very fast), and in her late eighties, walked the neighborhood, singing to the “elderly”. Technologically savvy right up until she passed at 96, Lorraine used her Apple watch to send messages and take calls, and mastered FaceTime on iPhone and iPad. When Lorraine was 90 she kayaked in MN, golfed in Port Aransas, and took long garden walks. A persistent, smart, capable, energetic person, she stayed one step ahead of most people. Verry personable, she would often be the life of the party, surrounded by friends as she engaged in lively conversation. Not surprisingly, her favorite song was “My Way”.

Born on May 16, 1929, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Josephine and Stanley Burinski, Lorraine graduated from Nazareth Academy, a Catholic All Girls School in Philadelphia. There she excelled in her studies and performed in the school musicals.

Her working career started at Corn Exchange Bank in Center City Philadelphia where she reviewed loans. She would lunch at the Horn and Hardart automat and other downtown Philly favorites. Her mother would take the El (commuter train) from their home in Andalusia, just on the other side of the Philadephia city line, to meet for lunch. They would meet at the Eagle in the John Wanamaker Department Store and listen to the famous pipe organ played there. Even in the last six months, Lorraine recalled those days fondly.

At those lunches, she and her mother also planned her upcoming wedding to Frank A. Livolsy of Philadelphia who she married on August 5, 1950. Their first of three children was born in April of 1952 and within two years, Frank’s job transferred the young family to Pittsburgh where they raised three children, Bob, Breah and Kathi. They were actively involved in SS. Simon & Jude Catholic Church where the children went to grade school. Later they moved to Bethel Park where all three children graduated from Bethel Park Sr High. During that time, Lorraine became a leasing agent for large apartment communities and ultimately the leasing manager for over 800 units. Among her tenants were famous Pittsburgh athletes, including Roberto Clemente, Mel Blount, Dave Parker, and Willie Stargell. They knew her well and Willie confided in her frequently when his first wife was fighting terminal breast cancer. Lorraine saw people for themselves and never followed athletes as a fan. To her death, it still surprised her that these men (and friends) were heroes to many, many others.

After the children left home, Lorraine and Frank moved to Atlanta with Frank’s real estate investment and property management business. There, Lorraine led the leasing effort of turnaround apartment communities. Very well organized and very disciplined in her work, as well as firm with people when needed, she endeared herself to employees and tenants alike. They often sought her out for advice or to share a good story.

After almost 34 years of marriage, Frank passed away in 1984. Lorraine subsequently involved herself more in Indian Hills Country Club, their community club where she was a regular participant in the nine-holers. She met Bob Brown at the club and married him in October 1994. They had 8 good years traveling the world including Malaga, Spain, one of Lorraine’s all-time favorite places. Bob passed from cancer in November 2002.

Lorraine continued to adapt and thrive, living alone in her home, continuing to play bridge and golf. Good friends Laura and Eric Espino, Joan and Peter Bone, Nancy and Jerry Boone, Mary Wyman, Jane Seeman, Helen McMaster and others grew closer to her over these years and she to them. She later became engaged to Russ Schmick, another Indian Hills member, with whom she traveled extensively and had good times. Russ died suddenly five years into their relationship.

Again alone, Lorraine continued to enjoy bridge and golf with her friends until ill health compelled her to sell her home and move to Austin to be near her son and daughter-in-law. They had more than seven years together, rarely missing Sunday brunch together except for a period of mandatory isolation during the Covid pandemic. Among other things, they together enjoyed trips to the wine country in Fredericksburg, Tuesday $6 movies with reclining seats, TJ Maxx (Lorraine loved TJ Maxx!), Longhorn’s for steaks, and La Madeleine. They saw each other several days most weeks, albeit often for doctors’ appointments. Lorraine continued to play bridge and when she would walk through the dining room of her retirement community, she greeted and was greeted by everyone, the “mayor” as her son liked to say. Ever adaptable, Lorraine found a network of good and kind friends in her new home at Brookdale Gaines Ranch.

Many Sundays and often Saturdays in Austin, Lorraine would watch PGA golf or Steelers football with her son and daughter-in-law. If it was at night, when she wanted to get to bed at a “reasonable hour”, she would watch the Steelers and exchange texts back and forth throughout the game until she fell asleep. Among major highlights during this period of her life were visits from her daughter Kathy and husband Jay who live in Minnesota and daughter Breah from Weaverville, NC. If Lorraine was feeling down or unwell, the anticipation of these visits and the visits themselves lifted her spirits and could help rally her health. Among other things on these trips, she visited San Antonio (Alamo and surrounding sites), played miniature golf, and enjoyed good restaurant meals.

Lorraine is preceded in death by her first husband, Frank A. Livolsy, second husband Bob Brown, parents Stanley and Josephine Burinski (nee Zabczynski), sister Rita “Babe” Burinski, step-granddaughter Christina Brown Garrett, and great-grandson Les Robert LiVolsi-Crosby.

Lorraine is survived by son Bob LiVolsi and his wife Susan Kiser Livolsi, daughter Breah LiVolsi Parker, daughter Kathi White and her husband Jay White, brother Tom Burinski, niece Jill Burinski, nephews Thomas Burinski and Michael Burinski, grandson Ryan Parker and wife Beth Parker, granddaughter Paige Parker Scully and Danny Scully, granddaughter Taylre (Parker) Sabo and husband Michael Sabo, granddaughter Kana LiVolsi-Crosby and husband Andrew Crosby, granddaughter Kelsey Schultz and wife Jenn Halvorsen, Abby Schultz and wife Annie Grant, granddaughter Malia Grace LiVolsi, granddaughter Chloe Schultz and husband Kevin Harris, Grace Schultz of Indianapolis, IN, and great-grandchildren: Kyla Scully Louis, Logan Scully, Braven Lessard, Elliot Scully, Rayn Parker, Delilah Scully, Hayes Parker, Charlotte Sabo, Greyson Sabo, Beckham Sabo, Shiloh Grant-Schultz, and great-great granddaughter Riley Louis.

Lorraine also loved her “adopted family” from Bob Brown: Paul Michael Brown, Tim Brown, Brian R. Brown and wife Tracey G. Brown, Dan Brown and wife Jennifer Garretson Brown, Katie D’Souza

Family and friends are invited to attend a Funeral Service presided over by Monsignor Ed Thein at Holy Family Catholic Church in Marietta, GA, on October 18, 2025, at 1 pm. This will be followed by a Celebration of Life from 2 to 4 pm at Indian Hills Country Club where there will be finger foods and non-alcoholic beverages served.

Donations: In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the American Cancer Society in Lorraine's name.