One of S.F.s' twin Brown sisters dies

(01-11) 14:01 PST SAN FRANCISCO -- Vivian Brown, half of the twin sisters who became celebrities by going everywhere together in San Francisco in prim, matching outfits, died Wednesday night.

Brown, who was 85, died peacefully in her sleep at an assisted care facility in the city, said Barbara Farber, director of development for Jewish Family and Children's Services, a charity that helped support Brown and her sister over the last year.

Brown suffered from Alzheimer's disease, her twin, Marian Brown, told The Chronicle in August, when the pair were facing their first extended time apart in decades. Vivian Brown fell in July and was admitted into doctors' care, where she remained until her death.

Marian Brown is mourning the loss of her sister, Farber said Friday.

"She's as you would expect - it is a very sad time for her," Farber said. "It is even more difficult for her because she's a twin and this was someone she's been close to all these years."

Parked in their usual window seat at Uncle Vito's, just below the crest of Nob Hill, the twins are barely through their first glass of merlot in this photo from Sept., 22, 2008. One welcomes an adoring tourist from Phoenix while the other laughs encouragement into the ear of a businessman dining by himself. Marian and Vivian Brown are the twins famous for bringing San Francisco's quirky spirit to the world, via numerous TV and billboard appearances. Don't ask their age, as they'll politely tell you it's none of your business -- though Vivian does admit she's 8 minutes older, saying this if only to remind Marian who's in charge. They argue this for a bit then break into one of their signature tunes ("San Francisco, open your golden gate...") and all is forgotten. less Parked in their usual window seat at Uncle Vito's, just below the crest of Nob Hill, the twins are barely through their first glass of merlot in this photo from Sept., 22, 2008. One welcomes an adoring tourist ... more Photo: Mike Kepka, The Chronicle Photo: Mike Kepka, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 17 Caption Close One of S.F.s' twin Brown sisters dies 1 / 17 Back to Gallery

Mayor Ed Lee, in a statement, said the city was "heartbroken" by Vivian Brown's death.

"We were fortunate to have called her a true friend of our city," Lee said.

Vivian Brown was the older of the twins, by eight minutes. When they arrived from Michigan more than 40 years ago, she was a legal secretary at an insurance agency, and Marian worked as a bank auditor.

The sisters, each 5-foot-1 and a shade under 100 pounds, liked to walk the city together in matching outfits. They were featured in 25 television advertisements over the years, for companies including The Chronicle, Reebok, IBM, Virgin Atlantic Airlines and Dell Computer.

But the regular advertising income dried up in recent years, leaving Marian Brown dependent on Social Security while her sister was in the hospital.

Marian said she wanted to protect her savings so the two could be buried next to one another.

"People know us as the San Francisco twins," she said in August, "and we want to finish up our lives here in San Francisco."