Hilary Baldwin Brown, 78, of Weymouth, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully on November 2, 2025. She is survived by her dear sisters, Pam Baldwin and Stephanie Drieze, her daughters Jasmine Appleberry and Robin Appleberry, her stepdaughters Mara Brown and Shana Brown, and many beloved nieces, nephews, daughters’ spouses, grandchildren, and other family members. She was predeceased by her husband, W. Miller Brown, her parents, Nancy T. Baldwin and Stephen P. Baldwin, and her sister Diana Gabaree.
Hilary grew up in Concord, Massachusetts, in a close and bustling family. She attended Concord Academy before starting at Boston University and then transferring and completing her B.A. at Franconia College. There, she and her dog Razz were well known for their gregarious and open-hearted spirits around campus. In 1970, she moved to Alaska, where she lived with and later married Brian Appleberry. The couple spent five years there, mainly in Wasilla, eventually building a remote cabin and welcoming two daughters into a homestead of gardens, goats, dogs, and cats. Hilary delighted in the natural setting and embraced a simple life of kerosene lamps, bread baking, yoga, and reading to her children.
In 1975, Hilary moved with her family to Williston, Vermont, and a few years later to Connecticut, which she made her personal and professional home for the next 45 years. With a background as a volunteer first responder and a deep commitment to healing, she entered the mental health profession and later obtained a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Connecticut. Hilary became a psychotherapist and retained a passion and talent for the work throughout her long career. Whether at the Institute of Living in Hartford or in private practice, she brought a keen intellect and a fierce kindness to her work, often balancing multiple jobs and/or school at once, while being a devoted single parent and a committed clinician.
In 1990, Hilary married Miller Brown, and they combined their families with great love, dedication, zest, and humor. The family shared many late dinners, frequently enriched by Hilly’s homemade pies, exuberant stories, and loud laughs. She continued to work in her private practice out of that home for many years until she retired. She touched many lives through her work, as an individual, group, and couples’ therapist, and this was always very meaningful to her. She also always made sure to have animals around her, from the horses of her youth to the piglets in Williston and the much-spoiled dogs of her later years.
Throughout her life, Hilary spent much of her summers on Cuttyhunk Island, Massachusetts, at the family summer home, and this was a profoundly special place for her. Visitors there will remember her perfect s’mores, long runs, and warmly welcoming approach to all her neighbors and their kids. Whether spinning tales of the “Giant Lobster” to young visitors or hauling boats at the end of sailing season, Hilly often had a smile on her lips; on Cuttyhunk, her spirit was free.
In her final years, Hilary battled illness and dementia, cruel misfortunes that pulled her away from the intense human connections that defined her life. But her family and friends remember. We know her as someone very dynamic, energetic, witty, and fun. She managed many responsibilities but also loved to walk, windsurf, bicycle, sail, ski, read, write stories and cards, share memories, create thoughtful gifts, and give wonderful hugs. She was an Episcopalian who took comfort in faith. She loved singing, whether in a choir, in the car, or on the NordicTrack. She was known for her refreshingly candid and charming spirit, and her passion for life, even as she had so much respect for history, literature, film and clinical psychology. She will be remembered for having lived many adventures over many chapters but having cherished most of all her family, friends, and animals, and the many affectionate nicknames she gave to all of them.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, December 13th, at 11:00 a.m., at Trinity Episcopal Church, in Concord, MA.