Jill Frances Horwitz

Jill Frances Horwitz

June 20, 1953 – October 22, 2024

The world lost a bright and colourful light with the passing of Jill Frances Horwitz in Chicago, Illinois. And somewhere, she’s probably laughing at that description. Jill led with her heart in everything she did and had no time for nonsense. She cherished and was cherished by her family, with whom she nurtured forever strong bonds. As the youngest child, born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, she had a special close relationship with her parents, the late Barbara and Arthur Horwitz. They shared a deep love for each other, musical theatre, modern art, Dancing with the Stars, bright colours and basset hounds. Jill was also exceptionally devoted to her three sisters – Anne Millett, Linda Hansen and Judith John – spending hours on the phone and participating in milestones, holidays and everyday family life. She enjoyed strong relationships with her nieces and nephews (Peter Millett, Molly Millett Johnson, Megan Millett McAllister, Adam and Jay Levy, and Riannon and Jessica John) and their children, to whom she was always the fun aunt who was supportive in every situation, and up for anything (including tequila shots). Jill’s curiosity, generosity, honesty, and open-mindedness were hallmarks. And her wicked sense of humour was one of her most notable attributes – not just because she had a laugh you could hear for miles (and, yes, she laughed boisterously and often). She was the first (and loudest!) to laugh at herself. That humour was a big part of how Jill connected with people, and she connected with everyone she met. To describe her as outgoing would be an understatement. Her generosity and genuine interest in others drew people to her throughout her life, building enduring friendships. She started off professionally as a compassionate social worker. She then combined her outgoing personality with business savvy, developing a successful career in recruitment advertising, managing client relationships and strategies as a Vice President at various national firms. Sadly, despite the best efforts of her care team at Northwestern Hospital and her own valiant fight, Jill was unable to recover after a recent complex surgery. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends who adored her, and we are grateful for the joy and indelible memories she brought into our lives. A family memorial service will be held in the coming months. Donations in Jill’s memory may be made to Andrew Millett Fund, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia /1352 P.O Box 8500, Philadelphia, PA 19173-1352