Obituary of Lillian Brown

Lillian Dorothy (Surette) Brown, 96, long-time resident of Burlington and Littleton, passed away peacefully on Sunday, April 2, 2017 at Peregrine’s Landing in Tewksbury. Lillian was born in East Boston on August 11, 1920. She attended Sacred Heart Grammar School and graduated from East Boston High School in 1939. She married her childhood sweetheart, Wells W. Brown, on July 6, 1941 at Sacred Heart Parish in East Boston. Lillian and Wells were married for 64 years until his passing in 2005. In 1953, Lil and Wells built their vacation home on Lake Matawanakee in Littleton, Massachusetts, where they spent many warm summer days enjoying the lake and making a lifetime of memories with their children, Janice, Carolyn and Paul, and with their extended families and many friends. Lillian was a longtime active member of the Burlington Senior Center and Counsel on Aging. She enjoyed cooking, baking and her many crafts, including ceramics, crocheting, wreath-making, and rug-hooking. She was an accomplished painter who worked and studied under Ella Buzzotta. Lillian also had a lifelong love of ballroom dancing, especially the Tango, and was often spotted at Senior Center dances gliding across the dancefloor with her brother Eddie. A loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother she loved to spoil her six grandkids and twelve great grandkids, secretly telling each ''You are my favorite,'' Simply put, she was just so much fun to be around. Her witty charm, ageless beauty, and exceptionally delicious meatballs and apple pies will be dearly missed. Lillian will be lovingly remembered by her children, Paul Brown and his wife, Chris of Hudson, NH, Janice O’Neill and her husband, Richard of Tewksbury, and Carolyn Murphy of Rattlesnake Island, NH and Carolyn’s dear friend, Ralph Holmberg of Watertown. She was a much-loved Nana to her grandchildren, Kim Packard and her husband, John, of North Andover, Richard “Chip” O’Neill and his wife, Robin, of North Andover, Susannah Pryal and her husband, David, of Sammamish, WA, Lisa Martel and her husband, Matthew, of North Andover, Kristin Cavoli and her husband, David, of Reading, and Lindsey Brown of Hudson, NH, as well as 12 great-grandchildren: Katie, Kate, Kailey, Alex, Casey, Peter, Elizabeth, Connor, Kellan, Charlotte, Emma and Nathan. She also leaves her brother, William Surette and his wife Gail of Woburn, her sister, Frances Corkum of Lexington, her sister-in-law and life-long friend, Theresa Surette, of Tewksbury, and many nieces and nephews. Lillian was preceded in death by her parents, William and Minnie (Babine) Surette, step-mother, Celina (Babine) Surette, brothers, Walter Surette and Edward Surette, sisters, Gertrude Doherty and Marie Barry and son-in-law Walter “Charlie” Murphy. A visitation will be held at the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn Street, Burlington (Exit 34 off Rt. 128/95 Woburn side) on Wednesday, April 5 from 4:30 -7:30 p.m. A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Margaret’s Church, 111 Winn St., Burlington on Thursday, April 6 at 10 a.m. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Burial will be private. Memorial contributions may be made to Friends of Forge Pond / Lake Matawanakee Association, 451 King Street #327, Littleton, MA 01460.