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Kansas City, Missouri on 20 November 1932
Denver, Colorado on 18 August 2020
87 years
DETAILS
THE STORY
PHOTOS
MEMORY WALL
DETAILS
Memorial service TBA
THE STORY
Thalia Dee Brown, a Denver psychotherapist with a specialty in addiction and trauma abuse, died at Sunrise at Cherry Creek on August 18, 2020 at the age of 87. She was a prominent member of the York Street Club and other Denver AA groups where she was always ready to volunteer as a sponsor.
Born and raised in Kansas City, Mo., Dee was the daughter of artists Cecil and Blanche Carstenson. She attended Missouri Valley College and returned to KC to marry William S. Brown at the age of 20. Dee was a loving mother to their children Laura, Eric, and Tony Brown, who survive her along with her ex-husband Bill and her late brother Blue’s children David Carstenson and Cindy Kalinoski.
In the late 50’s, Dee and Bill moved to New York City and other East Coast locales before settling with their family in Greenwood, Mo. In 1959. In 1966, the family moved to Kansas City.
When not running the Brown household, Dee attended classes at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and earned a BA degree in Sociology. She volunteered for community groups, including co-managing an interracial Fellowship House community center. She and the family ran the KC office of Eugene McCarthy’s presidential campaign and she often hosted “seminars” with friends to discuss current events. At home, Dee was a loving mother and one of the best cooks in the neighborhood. She baked bread and cooked up exotic Mediterranean and Asian dishes well before it became fashionable.
In 1971, the family moved to Denver’s Congress Park neighborhood. Over the years, Dee volunteered at the library, community groups, and with political campaigns including Pat Schroeder’s first primary campaign. After her divorce in 1978, Dee started attending AA meetings at the York Street Club and celebrated her first AA “birthday” in 1980. For several years she lived with her partner Carlos Valenzuela, an artist and York Street member.
In 1991, Dee earned a Master of Arts degree in Psychology and Counseling from Boulder Graduate School. After working several years for a therapy practice, she started her own practice specializing in addiction and trauma abuse. In the ‘90s she specialized in ritual abuse cases and published a handbook on the subject.
Dee was a skilled and empathetic listener and helped her clients take control of their lives. After hours, she volunteered at York Street. Despite the tragic stories she heard every day, she was always known for her optimism and playful sense of humor.
Dee loved to drive up to the mountains in her Fiat 124 sportscar. For several decades she owned a cabin that she and her family helped build up at 11,500 feet under Horseshoe Mountain near Fairplay. Dee loved caring for her canine pets, starting with the family dog Andy, and moving on to Booblah, Chuck, Pandora, Sam, and Molly. She enjoyed traveling with friends, including trips to Mexico, Europe, and Dubai. When she traveled to Europe with her mother Blanche, they learned to reconcile their differences and accept each other as friends.
Most of all, she enjoyed the company of her many friends and visits from her children and grandchildren. In the early years her three kids lived in the San Francisco Bay Area before Eric took off to the East Coast and Tony moved back to Colorado. Dee flew out for visits and to attend the weddings of her sons Eric and Tony. She helped Eric and his wife Cindy care for Dee’s newborn grandchildren Cecilia and Isabela.
When Dee bought her house on Holly Street in the early years of the Millennium, she rediscovered her love of gardening with the help of her friend Robbie Burt. In 2016, Dee moved into Sunrise Assisted Living where her mother Blanche had spent her last years. Despite a battle with dementia, Dee lived a rich life until the Covid-19 lock-down of 2020. She enjoyed chatting with her Sunrise neighbors and she often ventured out with her best friend Genelle Hamaker, who would drive her to AA meetings, visits with friends, and to her beloved Rocky Mountains.
Dee sponsored and inspired many AA members over her 41 years of sobriety in AA. Her wisdom and heart live on in the recovery of many sponsee’s, grand sponsee’s, great grand sponsee’s and Friends in the program.
A Friend writes: “Dee’s unconditional devotion to helping others was steadfast and endearing
She helped people realize they are not alone and that they don’t have to live in fear.”
York Street Club plans hold a memorial meeting for Dee at some point in the future. In addition, the family will gather to honor Dee and release her ashes in the summer of 2021.
Born and raised in Kansas City, Mo., Dee was the daughter of artists Cecil and Blanche Carstenson. She attended Missouri Valley College and returned to KC to marry William S. Brown at the age of 20. Dee was a loving mother to their children Laura, Eric, and Tony Brown, who survive her along with her ex-husband Bill and her late brother Blue’s children David Carstenson and Cindy Kalinoski.
In the late 50’s, Dee and Bill moved to New York City and other East Coast locales before settling with their family in Greenwood, Mo. In 1959. In 1966, the family moved to Kansas City.
When not running the Brown household, Dee attended classes at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and earned a BA degree in Sociology. She volunteered for community groups, including co-managing an interracial Fellowship House community center. She and the family ran the KC office of Eugene McCarthy’s presidential campaign and she often hosted “seminars” with friends to discuss current events. At home, Dee was a loving mother and one of the best cooks in the neighborhood. She baked bread and cooked up exotic Mediterranean and Asian dishes well before it became fashionable.
In 1971, the family moved to Denver’s Congress Park neighborhood. Over the years, Dee volunteered at the library, community groups, and with political campaigns including Pat Schroeder’s first primary campaign. After her divorce in 1978, Dee started attending AA meetings at the York Street Club and celebrated her first AA “birthday” in 1980. For several years she lived with her partner Carlos Valenzuela, an artist and York Street member.
In 1991, Dee earned a Master of Arts degree in Psychology and Counseling from Boulder Graduate School. After working several years for a therapy practice, she started her own practice specializing in addiction and trauma abuse. In the ‘90s she specialized in ritual abuse cases and published a handbook on the subject.
Dee was a skilled and empathetic listener and helped her clients take control of their lives. After hours, she volunteered at York Street. Despite the tragic stories she heard every day, she was always known for her optimism and playful sense of humor.
Dee loved to drive up to the mountains in her Fiat 124 sportscar. For several decades she owned a cabin that she and her family helped build up at 11,500 feet under Horseshoe Mountain near Fairplay. Dee loved caring for her canine pets, starting with the family dog Andy, and moving on to Booblah, Chuck, Pandora, Sam, and Molly. She enjoyed traveling with friends, including trips to Mexico, Europe, and Dubai. When she traveled to Europe with her mother Blanche, they learned to reconcile their differences and accept each other as friends.
Most of all, she enjoyed the company of her many friends and visits from her children and grandchildren. In the early years her three kids lived in the San Francisco Bay Area before Eric took off to the East Coast and Tony moved back to Colorado. Dee flew out for visits and to attend the weddings of her sons Eric and Tony. She helped Eric and his wife Cindy care for Dee’s newborn grandchildren Cecilia and Isabela.
When Dee bought her house on Holly Street in the early years of the Millennium, she rediscovered her love of gardening with the help of her friend Robbie Burt. In 2016, Dee moved into Sunrise Assisted Living where her mother Blanche had spent her last years. Despite a battle with dementia, Dee lived a rich life until the Covid-19 lock-down of 2020. She enjoyed chatting with her Sunrise neighbors and she often ventured out with her best friend Genelle Hamaker, who would drive her to AA meetings, visits with friends, and to her beloved Rocky Mountains.
Dee sponsored and inspired many AA members over her 41 years of sobriety in AA. Her wisdom and heart live on in the recovery of many sponsee’s, grand sponsee’s, great grand sponsee’s and Friends in the program.
A Friend writes: “Dee’s unconditional devotion to helping others was steadfast and endearing
She helped people realize they are not alone and that they don’t have to live in fear.”
York Street Club plans hold a memorial meeting for Dee at some point in the future. In addition, the family will gather to honor Dee and release her ashes in the summer of 2021.
PHOTOS
MEMORY WALL
PAGE CREATED BY
Lovingly memorialized by
Eric Brown
Thalia Dee's Son
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Posted on behalf of Padmani:
BrownAn open letter to Dee’s friends & family. . .
Dee, I first noticed you at a Sunday morning AA meeting
on the 2nd floor of 1311 York Street, Denver. You struck
me as a kooky, flamboyant woman who loved color the
way I did. Your sincerity, authenticity, openness,
confidence, & unique perspectives impressed me next.
Later, when depression was choking the life out of me like
an ever-tightening boa constrictor, I cried out to you for
help. You invited me to your home. Once inside, I let out
a primal scream of pain.
Despite this, you did not turn away. Even to this day, I
don’t know if I could be as brave as you were. But you
saw hope where I saw none. You took me under your
wing when institutionalizing myself seemed like my only
option. It still astounds me, your ability to reach me, to
touch my heart, and calm my nerves. You were the angel
who picked me up from a pit of despair & wrapped me in
your warm embrace. Yes, you were a hugger. I’m
becoming one.
You also were practical. You helped me conduct an
on-line search for a psychiatrist. I was afraid of psychiatry.
You walked me into new territory. You made release from
suffering the paramount priority.
So, at the time of an overwhelming bring-me-to-my knees
need, I found a guide, an advocate, and a nurturing
mother figure, offering me tea or coffee, sometimes a
snack.
You had navigated your own trauma with the tools of our
program, rolfing, a holistic chiropractor, & years of study &
inquiry. And although you had been a therapist,
everything you offered me. . .time, attention, suggestions,
questions, deep listening, & wisdom stories. . .was freely
given.
You lavished me with small gifts. . .a mug, a fairy figurine,
flowers from your garden. It was hard to make sense of
this at the time, unfamiliar as I was with this kind of
generosity. Now I know it was love. And now, Dee, my
energetic blocks to love are dissolving and I feel your
lovingkindness more deeply than when you were here in
physical form.
You introduced me to new ideas that could be tried on for
size, like spirit guides and channeling. I imagine you’re
pleased watching my developing relationship with these
energies.
And during our weekly visits, I watched you grow and
change, changes reflected in your home and garden.
Your house became more orderly, your garden more
beautiful. You modeled embracing growth and change,
even under challenging circumstances.
Thank you for the gift of sponsorship. I imagine your
smile, seeing that I continue to sponsor and aspire to
honor your legacy. Thank you for friendship. I know you
see my friendship bandwidth expanding and deepening.
Prerequisites for healing are safety and nurture. You
provided both. You are one through whom angelic forces
poured to help me. I stand in awe of this mysterious
grace.
Thank you, Dee, for the lasting gifts of kindness,
acceptance, faith, hope, & love that you transmitted to me.
Thank you for the life I have today. You were the right
person at the right time. I follow in your footsteps by
sponsoring others, offering a weekly guided meditation,
continuing to heal from trauma, trusting life to fulfill its
purpose in me, finding joy in nature, & celebrating with
color.
You are not gone. Your legacy is rich and strong. You
are with me always. Your healing energy continues to
flow. And piecy, stick-up hair will always remind me of
you.
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