Paula R. Brown

Paula Rita Brown, née Gaffin, passed away at her home in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania on November 30, 2025.

She is survived by her son Robert (Susan) Brown, daughter Ellen Brown, grandson Benjamin (Lawren Wellisch) Brown, granddaughter Hannah Brown, sister-in-law Vida Gaffin, nieces Barbara (Stuart) Schwartz, Erica (Sam) Maira, Shelley Hull and J. Natalie (Greg) Winch and nephews Sheldon (Ruth) Weinstein and Richard (Cheryl) Brown.

She was predeceased by her husband Leonard Brown, her brothers Samuel Gaffin and Norman Gaffin, nieces Karen Clark, Lynn Toms, Deborah Gaffin, Naomi Gaffin and nephews David Brown and Jonathan Gaffin.

Paula was born in Ashland, Kentucky in 1927, and raised in Huntington, West Virgina and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She graduated from Simon Gratz High School.

After marrying Leonard Brown in 1948, she devoted herself to her husband, her children, and keeping extended family close. She was involved in synagogue life, including serving a year as sisterhood president at Temple Beth Shalom in Wilmington Delaware.

During her years living in Massachusetts, she accompanied Len when his work took him on the road, after which they both returned to the Philadelphia area to work in the family business. Their marriage was a wonderful friendship, as well as a love affair, and they kept one another laughing.

In recent years, she knitted blankets for Project Linus, creating her own patterns. She loved word games, crossword puzzles, Scrabble and Bananagrams.

Paula had a special gift for seeing past external details to enjoy each person in her life and find what was special about them. She was patient and kind beyond measure, and touched many lives in her quiet way.

Relatives and friends are invited to graveside services on Thursday, December 4 at noon at Montefiore Cemetery.

Contributions in her memory may be made to Project Linus.