Patricia Jean Brown

Pat Brown passed away peacefully on May 7th, 2026, at the age of 90. A devoted wife, loving mother, proud grandmother, educator, and friend, Pat lived a life rooted in joy, kindness, compassion, and service to others.

Born June 30, 1935, in Denver to Martha Blakley Hoyt and Zwingle Hoyt, she was raised by her mother and her beloved stepfather, George Malpiede. A 1953 graduate of North Denver High School, she received a bachelor's degree in education from the Colorado State Teacher’s College (University of Northern Colorado), where she was crowned Homecoming Queen, and later earned her master's degree in education, curriculum & instruction from Colorado State University. She dedicated her life to helping others and was admired for her selfless spirit, unwavering support of family and friends, and deep commitment to primary public education.

She served nearly 50 years as a teacher, assistant principal, principal and administrator in Denver Public and Adams County schools. Her extraordinary leadership and dedication to students earned her recognition as Colorado’s 1999 National Distinguished Principal from Adams District 12, an honor that included an invitation to the White House to dine with President Bill Clinton.

Pat met the love of her life, Denver sports personality Irv Brown, while they were teenagers at North High and were married for 62 wonderful years. Together they built a life centered on family, sports, and community.

Outside of her professional accomplishments, Pat embraced life with joy and enthusiasm. She loved skiing, playing golf and traveling with Irv to visit family, whom she cherished deeply. Pat also loved attending sporting events with Irv whenever possible, enthusiastically supporting Colorado athletics and, of course, her own family’s many athletes. No home of Pat’s ever felt complete without beloved rescue dogs and cats, and throughout her life she lovingly cared for many furry companions who brought her endless joy and comfort.

Pat was a caring mother to her sons, Greg (Stacie), Mike (Elsa), and Casey (Lori), and she treasured every moment spent with her family. She was especially proud of her seven grandchildren: Jesse (Sarah) Brown, Cassie (Kevin) Johnston, Cody (Adam) Waslefsky, Sara (Logan) Schuster, Joe Brown, Hannah Brown, Grace Brown, and thirteen great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister Sharon (Bill) Garone, half-sister Judy Hoyt, brothers-in-law Ronald (Roni) Brown and Sam Brown, along with many cherished nieces, nephews, extended family members, and dear friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Irv, her parents Zwingle Hoyt and Martha Blakley Hoyt, and her stepfather, George Malpiede.

A celebration of Pat’s life will be held at 11:00am on May 29th at Abiding Hope Church in Littleton, CO, with a luncheon reception to immediately follow. Her family takes comfort in the countless lives that she influenced through her educational career and enduring love. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Pat to:

Foothills Animal Shelter

Denver Public Schools Foundation to benefit North High School

Adams 12 Five Star Education Foundation to benefit Mountain View Elementary

The family would also like to express their deepest gratitude to Dignity Hospice and MorningStar of Littleton for the loving care they gave Pat throughout her last years.

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