Barbara A. Brown, age 81, of Newark, DE, passed away on March 5, 2018. She was born on June 20, 1936, in Lowell, MA, to the late Peter and Anna Barbara Derwinis.

Barbara was a pioneer in the addictions counseling field and it remained her life’s work and passion. Her career began in Painesville, OH, when this area of healthcare was very new and the resources were few. While living in Ohio, Barbara was a key contributor in the establishment of the Lake Geauga Recovery Center. It remains a thriving center today.

Barbara held many positions both in Ohio and Delaware in the addictions counseling field and ultimately retired from Open Door, an alcoholism treatment program in Newark. Barbara was an active member of Alcoholics Anonymous for over 55 years and dedicated her life to helping others overcome their addiction and achieve sobriety.

Barbara is survived by her husband, Donald Brown; her brother, Richard Derwinis of Orlando, FL; and her niece, Barbara Spikes of Atlanta, GA.

Services for Barbara will be held on Thursday, March 15, 2018 at 1:00PM at Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 2465 Chesapeake City Road, Bear, DE 19701. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Lake-Geauga Recovery Centers and sent in care of R.T. Foard & Jones, Inc., 122 West Main Street, Newark, DE 19711.