Liliane Brotski

1939 - 2025

It's with deep sorrow that the Brotski family announces the death of Liliane Leseyeux Brotski on September 12, 2025, at the age of 86.

Liliane was born on May 12, 1939, to Eugenie Anne Simon Leseyeux and Robert Jacques André Gaston Leseyeux, in St. Jean-des-Mauvrets, France, near Angers, in the Maine et Loire department in the Pays de la Loire region of western France. She had a deep strength of character and courage that enabled her to lead a life full of challenge, adventure, and conviction, as well as a healthy dose of humor in the face of adversity.

As a young child, Liliane lived through the German occupation of France. She and her brother spent part of their childhood with their uncle, Jean Simon, who raised cattle in Montjean-sur-Loire, a small town outside of Angers. Her father, a wine viticulturist, died in 1947 shortly after World War II. Several years later, Liliane was sent to a boarding school, which fueled her appreciation for nature hikes, movies, and book clubs. A lifelong student and avid reader, Liliane learned Spanish and English as a teenager and then moved to Paris after high school.

In Paris, Liliane worked in the library of the American military base, where she met a young American sailor from Manitowoc, Wisconsin, Alvin Julius Brotski. They fell in love and married in a small ceremony at the L'Eglise Saint-Jean-Baptiste in Saint-Jean-des-Mauvrets on November 19, 1960.

After the birth of their three children, Vincent, Olivier, and Valérie, Liliane completed her undergraduate degree at Old Dominion University. The Brotskis traveled to various countries due to Alvin's military posts, and then ultimately settled in Charlottesville, Virginia, when Alvin retired from the Navy. In Charlottesville, Liliane received her master's degree in French Literature in 1983 from the University of Virginia. She then taught French at Jack Jouett Middle School (now Journey Middle School) and then at Western Albemarle High School, where she taught French and Spanish.

Liliane retired from her teaching career in 2000 and thrived in her retirement. In addition to participating in book clubs, hiking, and French conversation clubs, she also traveled all over the world – Egypt, Jordan, Thailand, Myanmar, Tibet, China, Turkey, Mexico, Peru, Norway, Belgium, Italy, and of course, France. She loved gardens, museums, operas, theatre, PBS, documentaries, Washington DC, New York City, road trips across the U.S., preparing French cuisine, quality over quantity, the McGuffey Art Center, the Saunders-Monticello hiking trail, J.S. Bach, Édith Piaf, calla lilies, lily of the valley, and Chanel N°5. Liliane was also passionate about environmentalism and human rights.

In her later years, Liliane developed dementia. Diagnosed in 2017, she demonstrated grace and bravery and greeted each day with a smile and a most contagious laugh. She moved from Charlottesville to the Asbury Retirement Village in Gaithersburg, MD, just outside of Washington, DC, in 2019 to be closer to family. She spent her last few months at Kindley Assisted Living with memory care at Asbury, where she received excellent care from the staff, several of whom spoke French with her, which she enjoyed very much. In spite of her otherwise general good health, she ultimately parted ways shortly after a hemorrhagic stroke.

Liliane is survived by her husband Alvin, their three children Vincent (William J. Del Pino), Olivier, Valérie (Christopher L. Anderson), and her children's felines (Silverstein, Pooh-Pooh, Duke, Mr. Tiddles, and Margoo), and is preceded by her other grand-cats Magoo and Minou, and Chouchou the dog. Liliane is also survived by her family in France and relatives in Wisconsin.

Details for Liliane's life celebration and burial ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, will be provided at a later time in coordination with the Storke Funeral Home of Arlington, Virginia.