The Westbridge Plaza

The Westbridge Plaza construction is almost complete so we should see some new retail and restaurants opening soon, including a Streets of London Pub.

Remembering Jean Brown

 

Jean Brown Obituary

Jean Brown
February 24, 1937 - October 31, 2023

Sacramento, California - Jean E. Brown of Sacramento passed away on October 31, 2023 surrounded by her loving family.

Jean was born on February 24, 1937 to Raymond and Marie Boyd in Springfield, Missouri. Her parents moved to California when she was five years old and she and her three sisters grew up in Sacramento. Attending the First Baptist Church in North Sacramento became a big part of the family's life and Jean made many lifelong friends there and found her love for singing. After Jean graduated from Grant Union High School in 1955, she went on to study education at Sacramento State University. This is where she met Kenneth Brown, the love of her life. They were married in 1964 and had two daughters, Kathryn and Amy.

Jean began her teaching career in West Sacramento for the Washington Unified School District. She taught grades one through six and exceptional children at Westfield Elementary School. After teaching for thirty years, Jean retired and began teaching preschool at the James Marshall Preschool. She loved working with the three and four year olds and what started as a part time one day a week job turned into twenty years of singing and fun. Jean loved teaching preschool as she said it was just like spending the day playing with her three grandchildren, the thing she loved most in this world! Jean retired in 2017 at the age of eighty, after teaching for 50 years, and missed being with children everyday.

Jean and Ken both loved to sing and this love took them to many churches in the Sacramento area. Ken directed the choirs and Jean sang soprano. Carmichael Presbyterian Church is where they raised their girls. Ken directed the adult choirs and Jean directed the children's choirs. Jean also wrote and directed the children's Christmas plays. Jean played such an influential role in the lives of so many children. After Carmichael Presbyterian, Ken took another directing position at Northminster Presbyterian Church where Jean continued to attend after Ken's passing. She made many wonderful friends there. Church was a very important part of Jean's life, and she is now home and at peace with the Lord.

Jean was predeceased in death by her husband Kenneth Brown, her daughter Amy Jennings, and her sister Donna Mognett. She is survived by her daughter Kathryn Whitney and husband Jeffrey, her sisters Sammy Martin and Mary Kellar (Jerrold), her grandchildren Diana Jennings, Alexander Whitney, and Zackary Whitney, (Carly) and her great grandson Cole Whitney, and many loving cousins, nieces and nephews.

Published by The Sacramento Bee on Nov. 5, 2023.

The O'Hara kids-old friends.

Kathy, Tom, Cheryl, Mike, Steve and Dorine. Tom Bartley met up with the O'Hara family at John Flores memorial at the VFW. Old friends are the best friends!