Natalie Marie Brown

Natalie Marie Brown, 88, died Tuesday October 20, 2015. She was born in Boston, Ma., March 14, 1927, a daughter of Arthur and Mary Foley Cerchione graduating from Medford High School. During WWII in 1945 while at Medford High School, with so many young men overseas, a special program allowed students with good grades to fore go the last semester of their senior year so they could go to work. Nat began her professional career with the John Hancock Insurance Company, where she stayed until early retirement was offered.

Natalie loved music, especially Pavoratti and the Boston Pops. She sang for the Philharmonic Choral Group of Arlington, Ma. and the community chorus in Maine.

Holidays were always important for Natalie. As a child growing up in Medford, Ma., she and her family always went to the North End for Christmas to be with their large extended Italian family. As an adult Natalie always had Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter at her house, preparing large full course meals for her family and her sister’s family year after year. As children, Natalie and her sister spent many wonderful summers on Peaks Island in the 1930’s and 1940’s. Peaks was a very special place for her.

In the early 1970’s, Nat and her husband Harold purchased a cottage on Peaks where they spent happy summers with family and friends. In the mid 80’s shortly after her husband’s passing, Nat sold the cottage and moved from Arlington, Ma. to North Deering to be closer to her sister on Peaks. She met a great new group of friends and together they became a great gang of friends. When her sister Barbara passed away, Nat adopted her sister’s West Highland Terrier, Bonnie Doone. The dog gave Natalie great joy and love.

As a child, Natalie and Lillian Semonian Scovel became life- long friends. This was a friendship that endured for seventy years. When the two of them were in a room together there would be unbridled, incontrollable laughter that was contagious. Natalie had always been the care giver for everyone in her family.

Her husband, Harold Brown, passed away over 30 years ago and was also predeceased by her sister, Barbara Goelman. She leaves a nephew, Arthur B. Goelman of Peaks Island and cousins Jackie and Patricia.

A time of visitation will be held Wednesday, October 28 from 4-6 PM at the Jones, Rich & Hutchins Funeral Home, 199 Woodford St., Portland. A funeral will be held on Thursday at 11am from the funeral home. The Rev. Philip Shearman will officiate. Burial will follow in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, So. Portland.

If desired, contributions in her memory may be made to the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland, 449 Stroudwater St., Westbrook, Me. 04092. Please visit www.jonesrichhutchins for further information and to sign Natalie’s guestbook.

Natalie’s family would like to extend their heartfelt appreciation to The Cedars for giving Natalie a home, a real home.