Madelon Louise (Morner) Brown

Albuquerque, NM—Madelon Louise (Morner) Brown, 80, a retired mathematics and science teacher, died August 8, 2022.

The daughter of John D. Morner and Anne Pearson Morner, she grew up in WI, in Ladysmith and in Menomonie.

She received a B.A. in biology and chemistry from St. Olaf College and an M.A. in mathematics education from the University of New Mexico. She served in the Air Force in the Panama Canal Zone. As an electronics and communications specialist, First Lieutenant Madelon Morner traveled throughout Central and South America, inspecting Air Force radio installations. She later taught science at the Canal Zone College, including chemistry, physics, marine biology, and parasitology. Even later, in NM, she taught mathematics at the University of New Mexico, at Sandia Preparatory School in Albuquerque, and at Alameda Middle School in Santa Fe.

Madelon met her husband of 55 years and the love of her life, John Victor Brown, in the Canal Zone, where he was a member of the Canal Zone Police, and where they lived with their son John for a number of years before moving to New Mexico.

Madelon and Victor were fascinated by both the tropics and the high desert and devoted themselves to seeking out and photographing unusual flora and fauna.

An accomplished birder, Madelon developed her garden as a bird refuge, joyously sharing with the birds, apricots, pecans, grapes, and seeds from her beloved sunflowers. Among her favorite birds were the Curve-billed Thrashers, who serenaded her with their mating song and nested happily in her domain.

Madelon was devoted to her granddaughters, Riley and Sydney, and spent time teaching them about birds, helping them with their homework, sharing family recipes, and a former flute player herself, supervising their flute and violin practice.

Madelon Brown is survived by her husband, John Victor; their son, John and his wife, Jennifer; granddaughters, Riley and Sydney; and sister, Kathleen Morner; all of Albuquerque.

A Memorial Service for Madelon Brown will be held at 2:00p.m., Monday, September 19th at St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church, 211 Jefferson St. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87108.

Contributions in her memory can be made to the ABQ BioPark-Botanic Garden or the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, in Tucson.