Beloved wife, mother, sister and grandmother, Jill Stevens Brown, 79, of Parrish, Florida, passed away on October 29, 2022, surrounded by her loved ones, following a battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
Jill is survived by her husband of 58 years, Robert "Bob" Brown; daughter Kim Brannon (David), son Rob Brown (Stacy) and daughter Kari Kushto; grandchildren Jack and Chloe Brown, and Haley and Cody Kushto; brother Mark Stevens (Sonja); and by loving nieces and nephews.
Jill was born on March 20, 1943, in Columbus, Indiana, and spent her childhood in La Grange, Illinois. Attending West Virginia University, she joined the Alpha Phi sorority and graduated with a home economics degree. During her adult life, she lived primarily in Delaware and Louisiana, as well as Taiwan, Belgium and Brazil, where Bob’s work brought him and his family, and, finally, retiring in sunny Florida.
Jill was Bob’s first mate in life and on their boats. She loved Bob dearly, always referring to him as her rock. She had a talent for sewing and crafting that she shared with the people in her life, sewing clothes for Bob shortly after they were married, then going on to create beautiful clothing for her children over the years. Jill also made dolls and reupholstered furniture, including nearly all of the cushions on the boats that she and Bob owned during their time on the Chesapeake Bay. When she was not sewing or helping Bob on the boat and at their camp in West Virginia, she was voraciously reading. But the greatest source of joy in Jill’s life was her family and friends. Even in her final days, she made that abundantly clear.
Jill was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph Keith and Phoebe Copeland Stevens; two of her brothers, Copeland Joseph Stevens and Terrill Joseph Stevens; and her nephews Timothy Stevens and Ben Stevens.
Deepest thanks are bestowed on Jill’s loving nurses and caretakers from Grand Living at Lakewood Ranch, Westminster Manor Bradenton and Tidewell Hospice, who cared for her like family in her final months and days.
There will be a small service celebrating Jill’s life in the springtime at her favorite spot at the camp on the Greenbrier River in West Virginia, which was a childhood vacation spot of Bob’s and the location of their honeymoon in 1964. There will be no local services. Brown & Sons Funeral Homes & Crematory, 43rd Street Chapel, 604 43rd Street West Bradenton, FL 34209 is in charge of the arrangements.
Condolences may be made to: www.brownandsonsfuneral.com
