Foundation’s First Female Board Member, Marilyn Brown, Led with Hard Work, Humility and Humor

Marilyn Brown was pictured in The Fresno Bee on February 21, 1971, baking with members of the local Girl Scouts.  Family members reported chuckling about this photo, recalling that baking was not one of Marilyn’s greatest interests.

One Sunday morning in the early 1970s, people opened their Fresno Bee to find Marilyn Brown on the front page. She’s smiling as she holds a hand mixer, surrounded by a group of happy little girls, looking up at her adoringly. The article goes on to describe a baking project by a local Girl Scout troop led by Mrs. Brown, one of her many charitable community activities. 

Her daughters, Jenny Brown and Katie Brown, look back fondly on the article – and share a funny family secret. “When the article came out, we all just laughed, because my mom was not really a baker,” Jenny said as Katie chimes in, “Oh yeah, that was not her thing!”

Mrs. Brown was unconventional for the time in other ways as well. She was one of the first two women to receive her MBA (Master of Business Administration) from the University of California, Berkeley. It was here that she met another graduate student, Ross Brown, and they married in 1951, moved to Fresno, and started a business and a family. In addition to Katie and Jenny, the Browns have one son, Mitch Brown.

In an early family photo, Marilyn Brown (back row, middle) is pictured with her parents, husband Ross, and children Jenny, Katie and Mitch.

Beloved by her children – they describe having her as a mom like “winning the lottery” – and known throughout the community as a smart, get-it-done leader, Mrs. Brown was one of the earliest members of the Central Valley Community Foundation’s Board of Directors. More remarkably, she was the first woman to serve in this role.

“My mom was so proud to be asked to be on that board,” Katie remembers. “I don’t think she ever thought of herself as ‘the first woman’ or that she was breaking a glass ceiling. She just liked and respected the others on the Board, and thought it was a great way to help the community.”

Serving the Central Valley was something Mrs. Brown was passionate about. 

Marilyn Brown served as the first woman on the original Fresno Regional Foundation Board beginning in 1967.  She was elected as the board’s first secretary and served alongside (L to R): Leon S. Peters, T. Newton Russell, Gerald Slater, (Marilyn) Lewis S. Eaton, Kendall L. Manock, O.J. Woodward, Lowell W. Firstenberger, Hillard R. Giffen

“My mom absolutely believed that living somewhere involved responsibility and that you had an obligation to your community to do what you could to make it a better place,” Jenny said. “She didn’t really talk about it as much as just living it.”

This meant saying “yes” to opportunities when they came up. In addition to the Foundation and the Girl Scouts, Mrs. Brown successfully campaigned to bring public television to the area, raised money for the library and the Fresno Chaffee Zoo, and volunteered with countless organizations, from Valley Children’s Hospital to the Bullard Parent Teacher Association. 

“It was always amazing to me that this woman – the same one who made my breakfast, packed my lunch, and washed my clothes – knew so many important people in Fresno,” Mitch said. “To me and my sisters she was just ‘mom.’ My amazement turned to pride when I got older and realized she was one of these important people making our community better!”

She gave generously of her time, enthusiasm, intelligence and wisdom and was never concerned with receiving accolades or awards. “My mom lived by the idea that it’s amazing what you can get accomplished when you don’t care who gets the credit,” Mitch said. 

Mrs. Brown’s children agree that her legacy is one of service, filled with love, inclusivity, kindness, and joy. 

“My mom definitely believed ‘everyday people’ could make a difference because she saw herself as one,” Jenny said. 

You, too, can get involved in the community by connecting with one of our community partners, such as HandsOn Central California.  Their mission is to support an inspired network of passionate people and powerful causes to make meaningful change in the community.  HandsOn Central California has been a leader in the development, implementation, deployment, and sustainability of volunteer initiatives in the Central Valley for over 74 years. HandsOn has a robust track record of managing impactful volunteer programs, training, events, and initiatives across Merced, Mariposa, Stanislaus, Madera, Fresno, Tulare, and Kings counties. HandsOn strives to promote volunteerism and civic engagement throughout Central California and does this through partnerships, working together to bring about long-lasting change in our communities.

This story is part of the Central Valley Community Foundation’s “Sixty Stories That Shaped Us” initiative to help mark 60 years since our founding. We invite you to join us in celebrating this milestone and this special place we call home. To learn more, visit us at centralvalleycf.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn @centralvalleycf.