Lifelong Nevadan, resident of LV for 47 years, Brown dies

Thursday, Feb. 4, 1999 | 11:19 a.m.

Frances Cafferata Brown was a pioneer from the time she was born on Feb. 4, 1917, in Reno.

Her family settled in Virginia City in 1850 as silver mining boomed in Northern Nevada.

A lifelong Nevadan and resident of Las Vegas for 47 years, Bown died Tuesday in a local hospital after a long illness. She was 81.

In 1938 Frances Cafferata graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno, one of the few women of her time with a college degree in chemistry and medicine. She became an X-ray technician in Reno.

She married C. Donald Brown, a banker with the First National Bank, on May 21, 1939, in Reno, and continued to take X-rays until the couple moved to Las Vegas in 1951.

The Browns moved to Las Vegas so Donald could help the bank's trust department when a senior employee's wife became ill.

"It was supposed to be a temporary assignment for two years," he said. But Brown moved to the trust department of Valley Bank of Nevada, and the family put down roots in Las Vegas. Valley Bank merged with Bank of America in 1992.

When the Browns came to Las Vegas, Frances abandoned her career as an X-ray technician.

"She just wanted to be a housewife and play some golf and be supportive of me," said Donald, who served on the Clark County School Board, was a member of the Rotary Club and founded the Las Vegas chapter of Ducks Unlimited.

An avid golfer, Frances Brown was also an active member of the Junior League.

Services will be 1:30 p.m. Friday at St. Anne Catholic Church, 1813 S. Maryland Parkway. Graveside services will be 1 p.m. Monday at the Masonic Memorial Gardens in Reno. Palm Mortuary Eastern, 7600 S. Eastern Ave., is handling arrangements.

The family asks that donations be made in her memory to the Frances Cafferata Brown Scholarship Fund, University of Nevada, Reno Foundation, 102 Morrill Hall, Reno, NV 89557.

"Her favorite charity is the University of Nevada School of Medicine," her husband said.

In addition to her husband, Frances is survived by a son, Steven of Reno, daughter-in-law Lois T. Brown of Reno, grandsons Ian and Tyler Brown of Reno and brother Russell Cafferata of Reno.