Jill Brennan

1938 - 2024

Jill Brennan
Born: September 1, 1938
Died: July 15, 2024
Jill Mary Ann Cabrini Brennan (nee Frymire), age 85, died in her beloved home on the sunny morning of Monday, July 15, 2024. In the embrace of her children, Jill peacefully departed this earth into the arms of a welcoming God.
Jill Brennan was a courageous woman of unwavering faith and unconditional love. She was born to Mary Alice and Alden Frymire on September 1, 1938 in Davenport, IA. Waiting in heaven for her arrival were her parents, and siblings Richard and Jack Frymire and Joyce Kent.
Jill married Jim Brennan and soon after moved to the Walnut community where she raised her seven children with love, hard work and patience. These children honor(ed) their mother's unwavering love and unconditional support for them by caring for her until her last breath, living life to its fullest and paying forward the kindness that was the tenant of her being.
Jill's children are Joyce (Tucker) Hansen and Coleen Vincent of Ohio, Lt. Col. Mark (Lisa) Brennan of Palmyra, VA, Gail (Mark) Werley of Sebring, FL, Monica Robbins of Princeton, Valerie (Corey) Peterson and Chantel Brennan of Walnut. Curt Vincent, Doug Robbins, Virgil Martin, Brady Cooney and Sandie Beauregard have all had the joy and honor to be a special part of her family.
Jill Brennan moved to Marathon, of the Florida Keys, in 1988 to embark on an ocean-side adventure of independence as she raised her youngest daughter and cared for her aging mother. Jill earned her Associates Degree and worked at the local elementary school. Jill was an avid member of Save-a-Turtle, walking the beaches before sunrise to identify endangered sea turtle nests. She enjoyed kayaking offshore among the dolphins and exploring the exotic nature and people of the Florida Keys.
In 1997 Jill returned to the Walnut community, where she could bask in the legacy of a vibrant, joyous and evolving family. She was a skilled artist who loved to make crafts with her grandchildren, and with her keen imagination she regaled them over the decades with stories of a mouse family and their lively adventures. She taught them to enjoy nature and stay still to hear the sounds of the night. Jill was a staunch supporter of both the Storm and the Tigers - whatever games her grandkids played in she was there cheering them on. Jill also enjoyed her lively friend circle - swimming, playing cards and going out to eat with them. She loved to decorate her home and tend to her yard, flowers and garden. Seeing others relish her home-cooking was a delight to her.
Jill has 19 grandchildren: Montana Cooney, Jordan and Shelby Vincent; Shannon Ganz, Michael Brennan, Christine Klein, Elizabeth Shiley, Jessica, Amy, Steven and Joshua Brennan; Beck and Kaia Robbins; Colton, Caje and Cassidy Peterson; Ayize, Rashida and Dakarai Martin. Jill has 17 great-grandchildren. Her life revolved around her family and she treasured visits with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, including, in recent years, Brooklyn and Aisha Cooney.
Jill had a special bond with her sisters-in-law, Ann and Marilyn Frymire, and with her many nieces and nephews. This loving network of extended family and friends shared innumerable moments of joy over a lifetime.
In Jill's adult life she embarked on travels to St. Kitt's-Nevis, Indonesia, Japan, West Africa, Hawaii, California, and many other states. Every place Jill visited and every person that Jill met was with an impartial and inquiring mind. People from all over the world, of varying status, color, and creed – became friends of Jill - she could empathize with them, accept them without judgement, and of course tease them. Jill spent many periods of her life working with special needs, troubled and disadvantaged youth. She treated them with an open-hearted tenderness that many never knew elsewhere.
Jill's life is not one to grieve over, Jill's life is one to celebrate. Through her faith in God, her prayers, and the Catholic Church – through her own spirit so steeped in kindness and acceptance – Jill always understood how deeply she had been blessed. She was clearly conscious that her time on earth was drawing to a close, and she met her God with grace and courage.
The family would like to extend our gratitude to the staff at Allure of Walnut where Jill spent some of her final months. The nurses and staff were wonderful, and an extra thank you goes to all of the phenomenal young women who tended to her daily needs – she loved you, your patience, your tenderness and of course your teasing. No matter how hard her final months were, Jill would always say, "I'm so, so blessed."
A "Farewell Gathering" will be held for Jill Brennan on Sunday, September 1st, from 12-2pm at the Heaton Shelter in the Walnut Park District. All who would like to honor the life and legacy of this lively and generous woman are welcome to attend. Light refreshments will be served. In her memory, the family requests that you seize every opportunity in your own life to pay forward acceptance, giving and kindness.