Mary V. Brody (Miller)

September 18, 1918 - September 3, 2018

Although she missed her birthday party, she fully lived her 100 years. Born in San Francisco to Italian immigrants Giuseppe and Fernanda Lovisco, a barber and a seamstress. She and her brother Louis grew up behind the barbershop on Valencia Street. As a girl she attended St James School and graduated from Commerce High in 1936. Having to pass up a scholarship to UC because of the Depression, she took the civil service exam and started work under the Treasury department for the IRS. In 1944 she accepted a promotion to the Navy West Coast Field Branch as an administrative aide to Capt. Daniel M. Miller, who it turned out became the love of her life and they married in the chapel on Treasure Island in April 1948. After his death in 1970 she worked as the director of volunteers for Marin General Hospital, eventually finding love and companionship with her second husband, Col. Arthur P. Brody retired. Together they traveled the world on cruises and annually spent weeks in Hawaii, her “happy place”, until he died in 1997. She always said she was so lucky to have had two great men in her life.

She was a unique individual, with strong opinions but never dismissing you for yours – as long as you could back them up. Feisty, with a curious intellect till the end, compassionate, a realist with a sharp sense of humor and an indomitable courage and zest for life. Asked the standard ‘how are you today’ usually was met with the reply, ‘not bad for an old broad’. Always stylish and put together, she kept up with fashion into her 90’s and never left home without her lipstick on and a spritz of Chanel. Pre-deceased by her parents, her brother, two husbands and many four legged furry “children”. She leaves her only child, daughter Lisa Miller Beckstead (Jim), nieces and nephews, Bill Brody (Mary), Penny Brody (Tom), Jeffrey Brody (Susie), and all of their children and grandchildren.

Tante auguri mamma, ti amo e mi manchi ogni giorno.

Friends and family are invited to a memorial mass on Saturday, October 20 at 11:45am at St. Isabella Catholic Church (1 Trinity Way, San Rafael) followed by a celebration of her life at 1pm at Villa Marin (100 Thorndale, San Rafael). Donations in Mary’s memory can be made to Alzheimer’s Association or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.