Jean V. Brown

Jean V. Brown of Hot Springs Village passed away on Tuesday, February 7, 2017. She was born on January 18, 1926 in Sheboygan, WI, the daughter of James Van Ouwerkerk and Claribel Dassow Van Ouwerkerk. She grew up in Kohler, WI, and was active in Girl Scouts, music-studying both piano and pipe organ and school activities. She attended Milwaukee Downer College, then graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI with a degree in Home Economics. She was in various activities including her Kappa Delta sorority. She taught high school Home Economics for a year in Fond du Lac, and for three years at Sheboygan Central High School. She met Keith Brown in Madison and they were married in Kohler on December 2, 1950.

She was passionate about volunteering in Bay Village, OH, where she and Keith lived for 15 years and raised their family. She was a Girl Scout leader for her daughters, active in the Bay Presbyterian Church and involved in a university women’s group. One area she was very proud of was tutoring adults in reading. She successfully taught, for three years, a young man with a family, to read which resulted in a significant job advancement for him. In Hot Springs Village, she played in a women’s golf group, was active in the Presbyterian Kirk in the Pines Church, played bridge, was in the Republican Women’s Club, in an investment club and was also an active member in PEO.

Through Keith’s employment with Mobil Oil, they lived in Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and finally Virginia, before retiring to Hot Springs Village, where they have lived for thirty years. Jean was a loving wife and mother and is survived by her husband of sixty-six years, Keith, and her five children: Kevin of Fargo, ND; Criag of Raleigh, NC; Nancy Kenney of Wayne, IL; Martha Funsten (Landon) of Raleigh, NC; and Marjorie Geuther (Jeff) of Houston, TX; and eight grandchildren, Rob Davies and Erin Kenney; Lanny, Melissa and Jennifer Funsten; and Meagan, Steve and Shannon Geuther. She was dearly loved and will be greatly missed by her family and friends.

Her memorial service will be held Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 1:30 P.M. at Presbyterian Kirk in the Pines Church located at 275 Asturias Dr., Hot Springs Village, AR 71909, Pastor Bill Bailey presiding. Memorials may be sent to University of Wisconsin, PO Box 78236, Milwaukee, WI 53278 or to Presbyterian Kirk in the Pines Church.