Merle (Kaminsky) Brown, 86, of Hopkinton and formerly of Hamden, Connecticut, passed away peacefully on Jan. 25. Merle and her twin brother, Matthew, were born in Brooklyn, New York, on Feb. 27, 1935. Merle was the daughter of the late Nathan Kaminsky and Hilda (Neufeld). She was the beloved wife for 65 years of the late Jay Brown, mother of Ellen (Mark) Factor of Hopkinton and the late Sidney Brown, sister of Seth (Annette) Kaminsky of Cold Springs Harbor, New York, and the late Matthew Kaminsky, and loving grandfather of Joshua, Eric and Samuel Factor.

Merle graduated from Pace University in New York and was an office administrator for Hamden Public Schools for nearly 20 years. She was a longtime member of Mishkan Israel Synagogue in Hamden, where she was active in the Sisterhood. She also was a Hadassah life member. She loved to knit and crochet and made hundreds of hats and blankets over the years to help families in need. But her greatest passion was raising her two children and spending time with her grandchildren. Merle was loved by all who knew her, and she loved family and friends unconditionally.

Funeral Services were held at Mishkan Israel Cemetery, New Haven, Connecticut, on Feb. 2. The Robert E. Shure & Son Funeral Home was in care of arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made in Merle’s honor to Congregation Mishkan Israel (cmihamden.org/giving) or Alzheimer’s Association (act.alz.org).

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