Constance Marie Brown

Constance "Connie" Marie Kenney Nelson-Brown, 93, passed away on March 11th, 2026 at Brookdale South Bay in South Kingstown, RI, following a brief illness. Born in Salem, MA, and raised in Ocean Grove in Swansea, Connie later spent the rest of her life on Aquidneck Island.

Early on Connie worked for famed mid century modern furniture designer Harvey Probber. She then dedicated her professional life to administrative roles in the medical field. She retired after a 28-year career as the Financial Aid Director for the Newport Hospital School of Nursing. She came out of retirement to work in medical records for Dr. Rudolph and later she served as the Admissions Officer for the Carriage House Nursing Home. She volunteered countless hours as a docent for Blithewold Manor in Bristol as well the NHSN Alumni Association and Newport Hospital. Connie was known for her kindness, generosity, and her vibrant personality. She possessed a beautiful singing voice, which she shared for many years as a member of the Middletown and Portsmouth Senior Center Choirs and the esteemed Navy Choristers. She loved Frank Sinatra's music, classic comedies, and traveling across the country in a camper with her family. A devoted animal lover, Connie had many beloved pets over the years.

Some of Connie's favorite adventures were when she and her husband's family rented large sailboats and sailed the Caribbean for several weeks at a time. Connie was a charitable woman who loved nothing more than spending time with family. She will be greatly missed. Connie was predeceased by her husband, Paul Nelson; her second husband, Captain Thomas A. Brown, Ret. USN; her step-children, Curtis Brown and Leslie McFall, her brother Thomas Kenney, several nieces and nephews, and her granddaughter, Carrigan Nelson of Portsmouth. She is survived by her son, Paul E. Nelson II (Tammy) and her grandson, Sawyer Nelson, all of Portsmouth, her stepson Gregory Brown (Martha) of Nebraska, and her daughter-in-law's sister, Bonnie Lybarger (Rodney) of Foster and her son Warren.

A private Celebration of Life will be held later this spring. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Connie's memory to the Potter League for Animals or to the many local scholarships established in her granddaughter Carrigan's memory.