Elizabeth Ann Shack passed away on August 10, 2015. Sweet, dear Elizabeth was the beloved wife of Gary Roger Brown and the cherished mother of Lila Belle Brown. We miss her gentle touch, her kindness, and her sweet warm smile. We will always love her. Elizabeth was a caring, warm and gentle woman who approached her world with loving kindness and great respect. She deeply loved and cherished her family and friends. She devoted her life to making the world a more loving and just place for all of the people she encountered, and was constantly working to find ways to develop loving communities to support young children. Elizabeth was born in Chicago on April 16, 1959 and grew up in Racine, Wisconsin. Elizabeth had two sisters and one brother. Elizabeth was especially devoted to her younger sister Rebecca, Rebecca's husband Mark McAuliffe, and their children Kim and her partner Katie, Tanner, Hannah, and Jack. Rebecca and her family live in Wisconsin. Elizabeth had an older sister Suzanne who passed away in 1995. Elizabeth loved Suzanne and was so proud of the resilience of Suzanne's husband John Harris and their children Brandon, Amanda, and Christine. Brandon lives is Chicago with his partner Stephanie. Amanda and her husband Casey Wilson live in Colorado. Christine and her husband Zachary McDaniel and their son Colby live in New Mexico. Elizabeth always had warm regards for her brother Jim and his wife Mary who live in Racine. Elizabeth also leaves Lisa Goodrich, Lila's sister from Gary's first marriage. Lisa and her husband Scott have two children Zach and Zoe and live in Cheshire. Elizabeth was so proud of her grandchildren and their family. Elizabeth was devoted to her father in law James Brown of Cheshire, and to her sister in law Susan and her husband Dan from Kentucky, and her brother in law James and his partner Roberta from Cheshire. Especially dear to Elizabeth was her nephew Jim and his partner Jeff from Portland, OR. Elizabeth devoted her professional career to Early Childhood Education. She always believed that all children should have warm and loving homes with a stimulating and safe places to develop and grow into healthy accomplished productive adults. Elizabeth graduated Cum Laude from Loyola University Chicago with a BS in applied psychology with the Ann E. Heilman Departmental Award, and graduated with an MA in Early Childhood and Special Education, Summa Cum Laude, from St. Joseph's University in CT earning the Barbara McKillop Student Membership Award. Elizabeth was a great athlete and excellent long distance runner. At St. Catherine's High School in Racine, Elizabeth and several other freshman girls developed their own cross country team before the time of Title IX which required schools to offer girls sports. Elizabeth soon was breaking state records in the 800 and 1500 meter races. She attended Loyola on an academic and athletic scholarship and held the school record in the 10k. Elizabeth won the Chicago Half Marathon in 1980. She qualified for the NCCA Nationals and ran in the 10k losing to Joan Benoit. Elizabeth was inducted into the Loyola University Hall of Fame in 1996. Elizabeth strongly believed in contributing to her community. She was active in the PTA and worked to develop the outdoor classroom and the playground at the Spring Glen School. When she lived in the New Haven Beaver Hills neighborhood, she was a block watch captain as well as a Justice of the Peace. She sang with The Salt and Pepper Gospel Choir for more than 10 years. A memorial service will be held at The Spring Glen Church, Whitney Ave., Hamden on August 22, 2015 at 10:00 A.M. A reception will be held at the church community room following the service. Interment will be at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in support of woman and children's homeless shelter programming, c/o New Reach, Inc., 153 East Street, 2nd floor, New Haven, CT 06511.