Mary Ann Frazier Browne

 

Mary Ann Frazier Browne, 85, was called home to be with the Lord on August 7, 2025. She was a beloved mother, sister, Nana, aunt, cousin, and friend who will be deeply missed by all.

 

Mary Ann is survived by two daughters, Suzanna Browne Edens (Edward G. Edens, Jr) of Raleigh, North Carolina, and Amy Kathryn Teague (Brian J. Teague) of Mechanicsville, Virginia; her sister, Jane Frazier Snead of Fredericksburg, Virginia; sisters-in-law Ulrike Frazier of Loudon, Tennessee, and Connie Browne (Marshall Edwards) of High Point, North Carolina; and 5 grandchildren, Jamie, Grace, Katie, Connor, and Kylie.

 

Mary Ann is predeceased by her parents, George Clark Frazier and Mary Gibson Frazier; husband, Chesley James Browne, Jr; and siblings, Margaret Frazier Orrock, George C. Frazier Jr, and Douglass Henry Frazier.

 

Mary Ann was born on Easter Sunday March 24, 1940 in Marion, Virginia. After moving several times, she lived and spent her formative years in Fredericksburg, Virginia. She graduated high school from Spotsylvania High School in 1957. She attended Mary Washington College and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography in 1961. She met her loving husband, C.J., on a blind date on Valentine’s Day in 1962, and they soon married on August 18, 1962. After living in Newport News, Virginia for 14 years, they settled in Yorktown, Virginia for the remainder of their time together. They were married 48 years until his passing in 2011.  After graduating college, she had a career in teaching U.S. History in high schools, to include York High School in Yorktown, Virginia and Bruton High School in Williamsburg, Virginia; and she taught U. S. History to soldiers on the Fort Eustis Army Base. She left the field of teaching in the early 1980s and worked as a librarian for the York County Public Library.

 

Mary Ann was an active member of her communities and was known for volunteering for many different organizations. In her young life, she was dedicated to the 4H Club of Spotsylvania County, and had an award-winning apple-pie recipe. She was an active member of the Crooks Memorial United Methodist Church in Yorktown, Virginia, and taught Sunday school classes, worked with the United Methodist Women, and held Bible studies in her home. She volunteered at the York County Library before becoming employed there, and being an avid reader, she belonged to many book clubs through the years and was known to always have a good book in her hand. Mary Ann was active with several women’s groups and spent time as President of the local branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and the Yorktown Women’s Club, as well as belonging to the Daughters of the American Revolution. She had a love for nature and gardening, and earned her Master Gardener certification in York County, Virginia in the early 2000s. Mary Ann hosted many clubs in her home to include the Gourmet Club inspired by her love of cooking, and the Bridge Club. She was a gifted seamstress and hand made many historic women’s colonial gowns for Yorktown Day in the 1970s and 1980s. She was known for her knitting skills and participated in many knitting clubs and guilds in the church, knitting prayer shawls, afghans and blankets and she proudly knitted a baby blanket for each of her 5 grandchildren. She was a staunch supporter of both University of Virginia and North Carolina State University men’s football and basketball teams. She moved to Mechanicsville, Virginia in 2014 and quickly found her new church home at Shady Grove United Methodist Church. Her 5 grandchildren were the light of her life, and the spark that kept her fire burning.

 

We extend grateful appreciation and our heartfelt thanks to her home health care aides, and the nurses, doctors, staff and team at both Covenant Woods Senior Living Community and Affinity Care Hospice.

 

A memorial service is planned at Shady Grove United Methodist Church, 8209 Shady Grove Rd, Mechanicsville, VA, 23111 on Wednesday August 13, 2025 at 2pm, with a reception following the service. In honor of her love of nature and gardening, please join us in wearing spring, pastel, or floral attire. She will be buried in a private graveside service at Peninsula Memorial Park in Newport News, VA at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Shady Grove United Methodist Church, Mechanicsville, or the Arthritis Foundation.