Mary (Babnik) Brown (abt. 1907 - 1991)

Born about 22 Nov 1907 in Pueblo, Pueblo, Colorado, United States

Died 14 Apr 1991 at about age 83 in Pueblo, Pueblo, Colorado, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Geoffrey Raebel [send private message]

Biography

Mary (Babnik) Brown is Notable.

Donated her long hair to the military for use in World War II.

Mary "Mitzi" Babnik was born on 22 Nov 1907^[1] in Pueblo, Colorado to parents Frank Wolf Babnik and Mary Mohar. She was of Slovenian descent. Frank appears to have abandoned the family by 1920.

During World War II, Mary made headlines by donating her meter-long hair to "the War effort". While it was publicly said the military wanted it for the Norden bombsight, this appears to have been a ruse and we have no knowledge of its real use. It appears Norden bombsights had the crosshairs etched on the lenses.

Brown married Carl Brown sometime after 1944, and became Mary "Mitzi" Babnik Brown. In 1947 she became vice president of the State Federation of Labor, the first woman to hold that position. She also became an active member of the Pueblo Democratic party, and was the vice president and president of the Slovenian Lodge SNPJ (Slovenian National Benefit Society).

She spent her last years of her life in the 300 block of Spring Street in Pueblo.

Mary passed away on 14 Apr 1991 in Pueblo, Colorado at age 83.^[1]

She was buried in Plot 33 7 2 of Roselawn Cemetery in Pueblo.^[2]

Awards and honours

Brown received a special achievement award on 17 Nov 1990, from the Colorado Aviation Historical Society in a ceremony at the U.S. Air Force Academy. She was inducted into their Hall of Fame. Paul Harvey told Brown's story on his nationally broadcast program The Rest of the Story, on 19 Nov 1990.

The city of Pueblo, Colorado, declared 22 Nov 1991, as "Mary Babnik Brown Day". The formal ceremony of medical personnel at a banquet at the Pueblo Country Club was recorded by NBC-TV. It aired the following month on NBC's The Story Behind the Story.

Notes

Raebel-2 in Australia, has no relation to Mitzi or her story beyond the fact that it involves Air Force and aircraft, I will happily accept any offers to manage her profile.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} "United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6KWN-KS86 : 10 February 2023), Mary B Brown, .
2. ↑ Burial: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/111506072/mary_e-brown: accessed February 28, 2024), memorial page for Mary E. Babnik Brown (22 Nov 1907–14 Apr 1991), Find a Grave Memorial ID 111506072, citing Roselawn Cemetery, Pueblo, Pueblo County, Colorado, USA; Maintained by Athanatos (contributor 46907585).

See also:

• Mary Babnik Brown on Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia