Gary Councilwoman Mary Brown, who represented the city's 3rd District for nearly 26 years, died Monday, Oct. 5, the Chicago Crusader reported Friday.
Brown was elected in November 1999 and reelected six times, Capital B Gary reported. Councilwoman Lori Latham, D-1st, called her the council's longest-serving member.
Funeral arrangements had not been announced when the Crusader published.
Key facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Seat | Gary Common Council, 3rd District, since November 1999 |
| Died | Monday, Oct. 5, 2026 |
| Council role | Longest-serving member; Finance Committee chair |
| Before office | U.S. Steel cost analyst; Gary Sanitary District customer service manager |
| Signature project | $45 million Tolleston Opportunity Campus, opened Sept. 28 |
The finance voice on the council
Brown came to the council with a money background. She worked as a cost analyst at U.S. Steel and as a customer service manager for the Gary Sanitary District, according to the Crusader.
She chaired the council's Finance Committee, Capital B Gary reported, which put her at the center of the city's money decisions.
Council Vice President Darren Washington said that experience helped members size up proposals coming from the mayor's office.
"Her background in finance helped many (city) projects," Washington said.
Mayor Eddie Melton said in a city statement that his administration was "profoundly grateful for the time, talent, and tireless leadership she poured into Gary." The city called her "a fierce advocate and a steadfast voice" for the 3rd District.
Tolleston and the ballpark
Brown pushed for years for Tolleston Park and improvements on the west side. The $45 million Tolleston Opportunity Campus, with a Boys & Girls Club, a YMCA and a Methodist Hospitals clinic, opened Sept. 28, about a week before her death.
Capital B Gary reported that the council committed $10 million to build the campus. Brown held town halls starting in 2022 so neighbors, especially seniors, could weigh in on it.
She also backed building the downtown ballpark that became U.S. Steel Yard, even as rising costs drew criticism. At the time she argued it could pull restaurants, housing and retail downtown.
State Sen. Mark Spencer, D-Gary, who served with Brown on the council, said she kept showing up for her district.
"Our city has lost a dedicated public servant, and I have lost a colleague and friend," Spencer said.
Council President Linda Barnes-Caldwell sat beside Brown in the council chambers for years.
"Councilwoman Mary Brown will be deeply missed, and her service to the City of Gary will not be forgotten," Barnes-Caldwell told Capital B Gary.
Brown graduated from Emerson High School and was a longtime member of New Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church.
What's next for the seat
The Crusader report did not say how or when the 3rd District seat will be filled. Region N3 will follow up when the city or the council announces a process.
Photo credit
¹ Gary City Hall (lead photo) — photo by Chris Light, Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
² Gary City Hall — photo by Daniel X. O’Neil, Wikimedia Commons.jpg), licensed under CC BY 2.0. Resized for web.
³ U.S. Steel Yard, Gary — photo by Chris Light, Wikimedia Commons_P9190011.JPG), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized for web; this copy is shared under the same license.