Alida Brown

Alida Brown, 92, of Frederick, died Saturday, June 12, 2010, at Homewood at Crumland Farms. Born Nov. 6, 1917, at Sunnymeade in Frederick, she was the daughter of the late T. Stuart Haller, renowned landscape architect, and Ruth Lewis Haller. She attended Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y., while living with her maternal grandparents, Dr. and Mrs. Maurice Lewis. She graduated from Hannah More Academy in Reisterstown in 1935. She graduated from Hood College in 1939. She was an avid horsewoman, winning many awards. She studied for her master's degree in psychology at George Washington University in Washington, which she often said was of no help when raising children. In 1942, at Sunnymeade, she married Herbert E. Brown of Massachusetts, a major in the U.S. Army. Being an Army wife, she traveled from coast to coast with three young children. After the war, they settled in New Canaan, Conn., and raised four children. Following in her father's footsteps, her lifelong interest in landscaping took root in her involvement with the New Canaan Nature Center. Her interest in assisting children and families with special needs propelled her to help found STAR (Society to Aid the Retarded) in 1956. She and her son, Keith, moved to Costa Mesa, Calif., in 1973. During that time she taught horticulture at local community colleges and worked at Rodgers Garden, a landmark garden center in Southern California. In 1993, they returned to Frederick. She joined Taskers Chance Garden Club, joined a bridge club and reconnected with old friends and rejoined All Saints' Episcopal Church. She became a member of St. Mary's Chapter and joined the Order of the Daughters of the King. She became involved in the church bazaar's plant room, which later became the very successful greens and gift sale. Her husband, Herbert E. Brown; sister, Ruth E. Lewis; and her beloved sons, Stuart H. Brown and Keith E. Brown, preceded her in death. Her two daughters, Caroline B. Linn and husband, Steven, of Maple Shade, N.J., and Elizabeth H. Brown and Randy Wixom of Frederick, survive her. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Allison G. Caesar of Los Angeles, Sara C. Kim and husband, John, of San Francisco, Luisa W. Nunez and husband, Sergio, of Brandon, Fla., and Mary Jane Wixom of Kensington; as well as her five great-grandchildren, Imani, Noah, Nicholas, Molly and Ava. She also leaves behind her beloved Scottish terriers, Andrew and Laurie Ann. Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 10, from All Saints' Episcopal Church, 106 W. Church St., Frederick. Interment will follow in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Frederick. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her memory for the memorial garden or to St. Mary's Chapter at All Saints' Episcopal Church, 106 W. Church St., Frederick, MD 21701.