MaryScull Brown

Born in New York City, Brown attended St. Agatha’s School for Girls and later graduated from Barnard College (Columbia University) after deciding against Vassar and Wellesley because of the cold.

Brown comes from rather remarkable stock as her father, a neurologist who graduated from Harvard at 16, was a pioneer in medicine. With partner Nicholas Tesla, he manufactured the first electric machine for medicine and lived to 100 years of age, so longevity is certainly in her favor.

MaryScull Brown began her career as a writer for the Paul Block syndicate that was picked up by several large newspapers. She was gearing up for a trip to Italy when Mussolini put the brakes on that. She recalls listening on the radio to the accounts of the bombing of Pearl Harbor and later the Philippines. The day after, she was recruited by Naval Intelligence as a civilian and began a life as a spy deciphering suspicious cables. Who would have imagined MaryScull Brown as a spy?

After World War II, she took a job as editor of the Columbia Alumni News and later married Willard Brown, a lawyer, in 1948. Two years later she had twin boys. They were still living in New York and hating the cold weather.

When her husband had an opportunity to transfer to Miami, they jumped at the chance for warm weather. Eventually they bought a home where she still lives to this day.

In 1953, daughter Katherine was born at Doctors’ Hospital. Once the children were in school, Brown became an active PTA leader attending conferences at Rollins College. Elected vice president of Merrick School PTA, she quickly moved up to the presidency after the elected president’s husband absconded with his company’s fund and had to leave town.

As president, she was part of the Dade County Council and over the years served as Bylaws and Policy and Procedures chair, and chair of the Red Cross Committee. She has been a member of the Red Cross for 40 years and started as a member of the Military Service Committee, became secretary of the board and is now a trustee of the board.

Brown serves currently as president of the South Dade Parliamentary Unit, parliamentarian for the Miami Senior High School PTA and Coral Gables Woman’s Club. She is Book Service chair for the Florida State Association of Parliamentarians, Education chair for the Dade County Federation of Women’s Clubs and is a member of several other sub committees.

While many people her age are slowing down, MaryScull Brown is more active than most people half her age, serving as a role model to us all.