Jean McGrew Brown

Jean McGrew Brown passed away peacefully on October 21, 2023. She was born November 24, 1928 in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania to Phyllis (née Barkdull) and Archibald B. McGrew, Jr. of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Married for forty-seven years, her beloved husband Cameron Brown preceded her in death on March 7, 2013.

Jean's youth was spent in Pittsburgh, PA and later Indiana, PA. After her mother was erroneously diagnosed with TB in 1937, Jean moved to New Orleans, LA to live with her maternal grandmother. She attended Rosemary Hall in Greenwich, CT, followed by Finch College in New York City.

A voracious reader and lifelong learner, she earned her bachelor's degree in Art History later in life from Lake Forest College. Jean was passionate about ancient civilizations (she was fascinated by Egyptology) and loved her years as a docent at the Oriental Institute in Chicago. She was a dedicated member of current events clubs, such as The Contemporary Club, The Coterie, The Friday Club and The Monday Class, and she attended classes at Northwestern University into her nineties. Over the years, she devoted her volunteer time to the Junior League, Planned Parenthood, The Field Museum's Women's Board, the University of Chicago Women's Board, the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Women's Board and the Lake Forest College Women's Board.

She found the right to vote in this country a great privilege. She was an active member of the League of Women Voters and served as an election judge until the age of 92. She was a devoted member of The Church of the Holy Spirit and a committed donor to its food pantry.

Travel with her husband was one of her great joys. No place was off limits. She ventured to popular destinations and those that might be daunting for the less adventurous, such as a newly opened China, Ethiopia in turmoil, a Papua New Guinea still recovering from WWII, and, most recently, Iran. Antarctica was her favorite voyage, followed by Egypt and Jordan.

Jean delighted in nature, be it observing birds or tending the many plants ornamenting her home. She was an avid golfer, knitter and needlepointer. A devotee of the performing arts, she regularly attended productions at Chicagoland theaters, and relished her annual pilgrimage to the Stratford Festival in Canada which she attended for decades.

Jean enjoyed tracing her family's roots, and she compiled much family history and lore. She was a dedicated friend and correspondent. She loved postcards, often dashing them off from all points of the compass on her travels. Jean had a great sense of style and considered no outfit complete without a brightly colored scarf.

Her greatest love was her family: daughters Phyllis Werlein Gotsis, Paula Werlein Jurisson, Leila Werlein Adamoski, Loren Dymond Brown (deceased), Sophia Brown Twichell; stepdaughter Debrah Brown Berger and stepson Reid Brown. Grandchildren: Cameron, Jake, and Phoebe Twichell; Nick and Christina Gotsis; Jean Adamoski Ryan; Jeff Berger and Jaime Berger Martin; and Terra Brown. Great grandchildren: Alex and Isabella Gotsis, Dylan and Alexa Martin, Penelope Ryan, and Milana Berger.

She will be greatly missed.

Memorial service to be held Saturday, November 11 at 2:00 pm at The Church of the Holy Spirit in Lake Forest.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to:

Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures at the University of Chicago, 1155 E. 58th St, Chicago, IL 60637

or

Lake Forest College, 555 North Sheridan Road, Lake Forest, Illinois 60045