[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 174 (Tuesday, October 21, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E982]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 REMEMBERING MARGARET ``MARGE'' BROWN, OREGON, OHIO MAYOR AND NEIGHBOR

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. MARCY KAPTUR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 21, 2025

  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of 
a remarkable public servant, educator, and friend to many across 
Northwest Ohio, the Honorable Margaret ``Marge'' Brown, former Mayor of 
the City of Oregon, who passed away on October 19, 2025, at the age of 
88.
  Marge Brown was a woman whose life embodied the spirit of service, 
faith, and community. Born on July 21, 1937, the twelfth of thirteen 
children to John and Mildred TenEyck, she grew up in Oregon, Ohio, in a 
home filled with love, laughter, and the values that would guide her 
entire life. A proud graduate of Clay High School's Class of 1955 and 
Mary Manse College, she went on to dedicate nearly four decades to the 
teaching profession, shaping young minds in Graytown, at St. Thomas 
Aquinas, and throughout the Oregon School System. To her, teaching was 
a calling she pursued with compassion, patience, and joy.
  Her deep commitment to her community extended well beyond the 
classroom. Elected to the Oregon City Council in 1989, Marge Brown went 
on to serve as Mayor from 2001 to 2009, the first woman to hold that 
office in Oregon's history. As Mayor, she led with grace, integrity, 
and a steadfast belief in the power of collaboration. Her leadership 
helped strengthen the city's infrastructure, expand its recreational 
opportunities, and build bridges, literally and figuratively, across 
Northwest Ohio.
  Marge also served in regional leadership through the Toledo 
Metropolitan Area Council of Governments, where her voice carried the 
interests of local communities to the broader stage of regional 
development. She believed deeply that progress was not the work of one 
city alone, but of neighbors joining hands to meet shared challenges.
  Beyond public office, Marge's faith guided her every step. A lifelong 
member of St. Ignatius Church, she served as a lector, Eucharistic 
minister, and volunteer. She often said her greatest joy came from 
serving others. A truth that was evident in the way she lived, loved, 
and led.
  She was also a woman of adventure, traveling with her husband, Lenny 
Fetterman, to every state and county in America, as well as to all 
seven continents. Even crossing the equator, the Arctic and Antarctic 
Circles, and the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. Hers was a life lived 
fully, humbly, and with gratitude.
  Marge Brown leaves behind a legacy of faith, family, and public 
service that will endure for generations. She is survived by her 
beloved children, Joani, Jean, and Jeff; her grandchildren and great-
grandchildren; and countless friends, colleagues, and former students 
who will forever remember her warmth and wisdom.
  May the life of Marge Brown stand as a testament to what one 
dedicated citizen can accomplish through service, compassion, and 
perseverance. Her light will continue to shine in the city she loved so 
dearly and in the hearts of all who had the privilege of knowing her.
  On behalf of the people of Ohio's 9th Congressional District, the 
United States House of Representatives, and myself, I extend our 
deepest condolences to her family and to the entire Oregon community. 
May she rest in eternal peace, and may her example continue to inspire 
us all.

                          ____________________