Judith Y. Brown

GARDINER – Judith Y. Brown, born April 16, 1945, in Bangor, to Rodney and Arlene Michaud of Dover-Foxcroft. They moved to Fairfield when she was 9, along with her two younger sisters, Vicki and Wendy. She went to Lawrence High School where she was co-captain of the cheerleading team with her childhood best friend, Jeanie.

She met the love of her life, Harlan Brown of South Gardiner at the age of 24, and they got married two years after and she moved to South Gardiner with her two children, Lynn and Stephen Phillis, who she had with her previous marriage.

Her and Harlan loved cruisin’ the hood and made road trips down south to Florida and North Myrtle Beach as well as all over Maine. They enjoyed going down to get lobster at Muscongus Bay and the Jordan Pond House in Bar Harbor to get popovers and drive-up Cadillac Mountain to see the view. She just loved going anywhere on the coast to smell the fresh, salty, sea air.

Judy worked as a clerk in the Stores department at the Maine Central Railroad for many years until the strike of 1986. Then she worked for the state of Maine at the Office of Vital Statistics until her retirement.

She loved runnin’ the roads with her best friend, Claire in the summertime. They would shop ’til they dropped. Their adventures included TJ Maxx and many Maine coastal towns with little shops.

She loved spending time with her family as often as she could. Her smile would light up the world. She loved springtime peeper frogs and the smell of flowers. She loved the little things in life and always found the positive things when they were hard to find. She had strong opinions and if she ever disagreed with you, she still loved you. She stayed true to her convictions, and no one could sway her. She was honest as honest could be and if you were offended, she’d say, “you’ll get over it in a week or 10 days”.

She was preceded by her mom and dad; and sister, Wendy.

She is survived by her husband, Harlan Brown of South Gardiner; her daughter, Lynn McNeff and husband, Mike, of Windsor, grandchildren Adam of Waterville, Kayley and husband, Seth of Belgrade Lakes; her son, Stephen Phillis and wife, Diane of South Gardiner, grandchildren Scott and Crystal, great-grandchildren Willow and Ashtin of Lewiston, grandchild Bryan and wife, Loni, great-grandchildren Cole and Violet of South Gardiner. She was known as “Grandy” to her grandchildren. As well as her sister, Vicki Saint Amand; and her second daughter, LeAnn; and many other nieces who she loved very much.

Appreciation to Maine General and Hospice Care.

A private graveside service was held at the Maine Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery.

Arrangements are entrusted with Staples Funeral Home in Gardiner. Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared with the family on the obituary page of the Staples Funeral Home website, staplesfuneralhome.com

Donations can be made in her honor to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.