Margaret Brown, age 96, of West Lafayette, passed away on Saturday evening May 3 at IU Health Arnett Hospital. With her at the time of her passing were her last surviving brother Harold Maurice Merrell, her good friend and care manager Donna Granger, and her daughter Carolyn Hirsch. Born in 1918 to Hugo and Bessie Merrell, Margaret grew up in the Crawfordsville area with her three sisters and four brothers. Martha met Robert “Max” Brown while he was attending Wabash College. They were married in 1942 and moved to Indianapolis where their daughter Carolyn was born in 1946. They moved to Speedway in 1950. Margaret gave birth to a son, Fred Merrell Brown in 1953. He survived only two days. Max passed away unexpectedly in 1983. Margaret moved to West Lafayette in 1998 to be nearer her daughter and granddaughter, Allison Hirsch, who was born to Carolyn and Andrew Hirsch. Margaret was a devoted daughter, sister, mother and grandmother. She was always ready to lend a helping hand or offer a kind word to family and friends. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her. After a brief graveside service she will be buried alongside her husband at Washington Park North Cemetery in Indianapolis. Remembrances can be left at www.soller-baker.com.