Councilwoman Mary Brown, D-3rd, was remembered by colleagues and friends as an advocate for her community and someone whose knowledge of finance helped advance projects to benefit the Steel City.
Brown died Monday, according to an announcement by Council President Linda Barnes Caldwell.
“For more than two decades, Councilwoman Brown served the citizens of Gary with dedication and a deep commitment to the community she called home. Her passing represents a tremendous loss to the Gary Common Council, the 3rd District, and the entire city of Gary,” Barnes Caldwell said in her statement. “On behalf of the Gary Common Council, I extend our heartfelt condolences and prayers to Councilwoman Brown’s family, friends, constituents, and all who had the privilege of knowing and working alongside her.
“We honor her many years of public service and the legacy she leaves behind. Councilwoman Mary Brown will be deeply missed, and her service to the City of Gary will not be forgotten.”
According to Post-Tribune archives, Brown was elected as the council’s third district representative in November 1999, and she served for nearly 26 years.
Outside of her council work, Brown graduated from Emerson High School in Gary and was a long-time member of New Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church, according to the council’s website. She worked as a cost analyst at U.S. Steel and as customer service manager at the Gary Sanitary District.
According to Post-Tribune archives, Brown resigned from her sanitary district position in June 2018 after a judge ruled it was illegal for her to work with the city and hold her elected office.
In a statement Tuesday, the Gary Sanitary District said “words cannot fully express” Brown’s commitment to the city and sanitary district. The department statement said she led with integrity, passion and a genuine desire to do what was best.
“We are grateful for her service, and her contributions to GSD will forever remain part of our history as we continue the work of building a better Greater Gary,” the statement said.
Mayor Eddie Melton called Brown a “fierce advocate and steadfast voice” for Gary residents.
“Her unwavering commitment to public service and her deep love for our community have left an indelible mark that will be remembered and celebrated for generations to come,” Melton said in a Tuesday morning statement. “Today, our administration stands together with the entire city to honor her incredible legacy. We are profoundly grateful for the time, talent, and tireless leadership she poured into Gary throughout her 20-plus years of dedicated service.”
When thinking about Brown’s legacy in Gary, several of her fellow council members said the new Tolleston Opportunity Campus is her top achievement. The $45 million campus opened Sept. 28 and houses the Gary Boys and Girls Club, YMCA and a Methodist Hospitals clinic.
Gary Councilman Dwight Williams, D-6th, said it was obvious that Brown “really loved” the city.
“We would talk every once in a while,” Williams said. “And she really showed me that she loved her district. She really loved Tolleston Park, and she was so elated when they decided to put the Boys and Girls Club over there and modify the area.”
Councilwoman Lori Latham, D-1st, said Brown was “always advocating” for the Tolleston area and park. Tolleston Park is one of the city’s six jewel parks, which were determined to be a major renovation focus for the city.
“She was a huge fan of quality of life projects, like parks and green spaces, making sure the residents of the third district had a place where they could play, where they could meet,” Latham said. “She often corrected us when we talked about the Tolleston Opportunity Campus, and that it wasn’t just a third district project, but a citywide project.”
Latham said she admired Brown because she “put people in front of profit every time.”
“She was the queen of our council, our longest serving member,” Latham said. “The impact she had on all of us, not just me as a Black woman elected official, but on our council and even our city, … it’s going to reverberate for generations.”
Councilwoman Marian Ivey, D-4th, said she’s known Brown for years, starting as a teenager who lived in Gary’s third district. Ivey said her father was active in the community and wanted her to know her elected officials.
Ivey said she admired Brown’s commitment to getting the RailCats’ U.S. Steel Yard stadium in Gary, even when it was unpopular.
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According to Post-Tribune archives, in 2000, former Mayor Scott King proposed a $20 million stadium downtown and asked for an additional $25 million in 2001 due to construction cost overruns.
When the stadium price escalated, Brown said the council was “in between a rock and a hard place,” according to Post-Tribune archives. However, at the time, she said the development would lead to new restaurants, housing and stores.
On Tuesday, King reacted to Brown’s death.
“She was a good public servant and a better person,” he said.
The length of Brown’s service gives Ivey more confidence to lead in the fourth district, she said.
“I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to witness her dedication firsthand,” Ivey said. “No matter what she was going through, her good days, her bad days, how she felt … she still made herself seen, she still showed up, and she still committed to the work.”
Council Vice President Darren Washington, D-at large, said he first knew Brown when she ran for Calumet Township Trustee’s board. Washington has been a supporter of Brown for the past 30 years, he said.
“She is going to be widely missed as a beacon in the community,” Washington said. “My heart goes out to her whole family. She and my mom were really good friends, and they worked at U.S. Steel together. We’re really going to miss her.”
Washington said her financial experience will be missed within the council.
“Her background in finance helped many (city) projects,” he said. “It also ensured that when we got information from the executive branch — the mayor’s office — Mary was able to go through that information and ensure that the council made the best financial decisions for the city.”
Councilman Dwayne Halliburton, D-2nd, said Brown was “excellent in leadership,” polite and encouraging. Halliburton is in his first council term, he said, so he didn’t work with Brown long, but he believes her legacy is shown in her advocacy for Gary.
“She was a servant leader for the citizens of Gary,” Halliburton said. “She was very influential, and people gave her the utmost respect.”
At-large Democratic Councilmen Myles Tolliver and Kenneth Whisenton both posted tributes to Brown on Facebook Tuesday. Tolliver and Whisenton could not be reached for comment.
Tolliver said his “heart is heavy” as he mourns Brown, adding that her loss will be “deeply felt” by those who served with her.
“Her legacy will be remembered through the lives she touched, the wisdom she shared, and her unwavering commitment to the community she loved,” he said in his statement. “I will always be grateful for the opportunity to serve alongside her and learn from her many years of experience.”
Whisenton shared a similar sentiment, saying he will cherish Brown’s wisdom, love and encouragement shared with him.
“She carried herself with grace and dignity, a shining example of what a public servant should be,” he said.
State Sen. Mark Spencer, D-Gary, served with Brown on Gary’s council, but he said he knew her long before entering politics. Spencer is West Side’s fine arts director, and he said Brown supported the school and children’s work throughout the years.
Spencer said in a statement Tuesday that he was deeply saddened by her death. Brown was steady, committed to her district and deeply rooted in Gary, he said.
“Our city has lost a dedicated public servant, and I have lost a colleague and friend,” Spencer said. “Her years of service speak for themselves, but those of us who knew Mary will also remember the person who kept showing up for her community. I loved Mary. I respected her. And I thank her for what she gave to Gary.”
Lake County Councilman Ron Brewer, D-Gary, served three terms with Brown on the Gary Common Council. In a statement to the Post-Tribune, Brewer called her a true friend and one of his strongest supporters.
When Brewer was council president, Brown served as vice president.
“Mary made a lasting impact not only on me but also on the community she served,” Brewer said in his statement. “Through her dedication, leadership, and commitment to others, she helped make a difference in the lives of those around her. Her contributions to our community and the relationships she built will not be forgotten. … Her legacy will live on in the hearts of those she touched.”
State Rep. Ragen Hatcher, D-Gary, also reacted to Brown’s death in a Tuesday statement. She said her family’s hearts are with Brown’s family and loved ones.
“Having had the privilege of serving alongside her on the Gary Common Council, I saw firsthand the time, voice, and commitment she gave to this city,” Hatcher said. “Her legacy of service will always be remembered.”