Jennifer Butterbrodt

Jennifer Butterbrodt passed away peacefully on March 30, 2024. Born in Santa Monica, CA to parents William and Virginia Gill on October 2, 1952, Jennifer grew up in the Los Angeles area until the family moved to Tustin, CA where she attended Foothill High School. William & Virginia Gill preceded Jennifer in death. She attended Northern Arizona University where she met Andrew Butterbrodt of Tucson, Arizona and eventually married on October 20, 1973. Shortly thereafter, they moved to Tustin, CA where Jennifer pursued a career in advertising working for leading firms in both Los Angeles and Orange counties.

Their 50 years of marriage was filled with adventures. Declaring themselves "dinks" - dual income no kids - Jennifer and Andrew began travelling the world. Their excursions included all the Asian and Himalayan countries, Middle East, Africa and Oceana. She enjoyed gold mining in the Sierra Nevada's, digging crystals in Arkansas, visiting New York City, trips to Idaho, Montana, Jackson Hole and Yellowstone and travelling throughout the West Coast.

Jennifer was an avid gardener. Summers were busy tending a large vegetable garden and flower gardens that included roses, wisteria, zinnias, sun flowers and sweet peas. When the opportunity arose to host a bee hive on her home property, she jumped at the chance. Those bees pollinated her citrus and fruit trees producing hundreds of pounds of honey over several years.

She was an art major in college and developed a talent for watercolors. She loved gems & minerals, could speak on music & musical groups, world events and just about any subject. As an avid photographer her many photos included beautiful shots of her flowers, birds that visited the yard, wildlife and landscapes on her travels. She also was interested in the challenge of cooking an interesting recipe. The kitchen would be filled with exotic fragrances and the dishes were delectable. Baking bread from scratch was one challenge Jennifer embraced. Her efforts yielded bounties of delicious boules, and baguettes.

For relaxation Jennifer's ideal was reading. The library was her favorite source of reading material but she could never pass up a good used bookstore. Jennifer had a keen intellect, instant recall and an insatiable curiosity. She could be opinionated, tough but also emotional . She never let a French bulldog or a pug pass by without giving it a pet.Her passing has created an unfillable void. Rest in peace my love.