PORTLAND — Florence “Claire” (Noonan) Brosnan, 87, of Portland, formerly of Cape Elizabeth, died July 13 at Mercy Hospital, surrounded by family.
Brosnan was born Feb. 15, 1928, in Medford, Massachusetts, the daughter of Francis J. and Florence (Dunphy) Noonan. She graduated from Girls Catholic High School in Malden, Massachusetts, in the class of 1946, where she was the valedictorian and was awarded a full scholarship to Emmanuel College.
Brosnan earned a bachelor of science degree at Emmanuel in 1950. Thirty years later, she went on to earn a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of Southern Maine.
Strongly committed to the value of education, Brosnan served as a longtime teacher before retiring in 1989. For 25 years, she taught first and third grades at the Pond Cove Elementary School in Cape Elizabeth. She was one of the first in the town to earn a master teacher credential. She also served as vice president of the Cape Elizabeth Teachers Association.
Brosnan was a founding member and former communicant of St. Bartholomew Church. In her free time, she faithfully followed college football and the New England Patriots.
She was predeceased by her husband of 36 years, Francis B. Brosnan, in 1989. She was also predeceased by her brother, Francis Noonan Jr.
She is survived by her daughter, Karen MacDonald and her husband, Terence, of Portland; her son, Mark A. Brosnan and his wife, Kathleen, of California; and her sister, Margaret McCarthy, of Hamilton, Massachusetts. She is also survived by six grandchildren, Violet, Nina, Kellie, Henry, Ryan and Charles; and four great-grandchildren, Jacob, Evelyn, Jedidiah and Audrey.
Visiting hours were held July 19 at Conroy-Tully Crawford Funeral Home, in Portland. A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated July 20 at St. Pius X Church, in Portland, with interment following at Riverside Cemetery, Cape Elizabeth.
Brosnan’s family extends special thanks to the skilled and compassionate staff at Mercy Hospital.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her name to The Wound Healing Center, Mercy Hospital, 144 State St., Portland, ME 04101.
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