Jean Brown

Sarasota - Jean Brown, Beloved Mother, Grandmother, and Friend.

Jean Hohns Brown, a vibrant and generous spirit who brought warmth, laughter, and kindness to everyone she met, passed away peacefully on March 27th at the age of 97.

Born and raised in Scarsdale, New York, Jean was the daughter of Charles and Pauline Hohns. She later made her home in Rye, NY, Stamford, CT, and finally Sarasota, FL. She was a proud graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University and member of Delta Gamma sorority, where she was pinned by Joe Brown, her future husband, in her senior year.

Jean had a deep passion for helping others and was especially devoted to her work with The Lighthouse, an organization dedicated to training seeing-eye dogs for the blind. She also built a successful career in real estate in Greenwich, CT, where her keen eye for opportunity and her natural warmth made her a trusted advisor to many.

An avid sportswoman, Jean enjoyed tennis and golf, but her greatest joys involved water - she loved fishing but even more so loved swimming. As long as the Bay Village pool was heated to a toasty 87 degrees or higher, you could find Jean swimming a mile a day well into her nineties. She also had an undeniable talent for finding (and giving) a great deal, whether through her love of thrifting or while working at the Saint Boniface Thrift Shop, where she ensured others could share in the joy of a good bargain.

A true lover of life, Jean knew how to savor the simple pleasures. There was nothing she loved more than sitting on the beach reading, and against the advice of her family and every dermatologist she ever visited, with no sunscreen on. In the words of Jean, "there's nothing better than a good burn".

Jean was a voracious reader who could always be found with a book in hand, and she never missed a happy hour, enjoying a glass of white wine (with ice, of course) well into her final years.

Above all, Jean was devoted to her family. She is survived by her two loving daughters, Chris Kitch and Cindy Cioffari, Chris' husband Jim, and her four cherished grandchildren who will forever carry her love, humor, and wisdom in their hearts. She is predeceased by her husband Joe, dear companion of 5 years Dick, son-in-law Craig, grandson Mark, and brother Charles.

The family is grateful for the wonderful team of caregivers who laughed with her and loved her for the past five years.