GLOUCESTER: Jane Phillips Brown, 91, of Gloucester and Juno Beach Florida, died on Christmas Day 2007 at the Den Mar Nursing Home in Rockport. She was the wife of the late William Glover Brown III, President of Brown's of Gloucester Department Store, who died in March of 1972.
Born in Cincinnati Ohio on June 7, 1916 she was the daughter of the late Hazel Hake Phillips and Thomas Leonard Phillips. She attended the University School and Miss Doherty's College Preparatory School (now part of the Seven Hills School) in Cincinnati. She graduated magna cum laude from Smith College in 1938 with special honors in English literature. She married in 1938 and after a year in New York City, moved to Gloucester where the couple raised six children. One of the organizers and first president of the East Gloucester Parent Teachers Association, she went on to serve on the City Gloucester School Committee from 1946 to 1951. She was on the Board of Directors of the Sawyer Free Library, the Isabel Babson Memorial Library and the Hawthorne Girl Scout Council.
She was an active participant in the Addison Gilbert Hospital throughout the years; serving as a member of the Junior and Women's Auxiliary of the Addison Gilbert Hospital and co-chairman of the hospital's Nursing School Committee. Together with Barbara Marshall Simpson, she co-chaired the building campaigns of both the Steele Wings and the maternity wing of the hospital. Later being named as the first female Trustee of the Addison Gilbert Hospital.
Always active in politics, in 1960 she was elected Massachusetts Republican State Committeewoman for the 3rd Essex District and the following year was elected Vice-Chairman of the State Republican Committee. In 1964, she was elected as sitting Delegate to the Republican National Convention in San Francisco and was an Honorary President of the Massachusetts Republican Women's Federation.
As a writer, she began her career as a reporter for "The Boston Traveler" and wrote a weekly column for Manchester's "North Shore Breeze". For 20 years, she ran the bookshop in the Brown's Department Store. She also wrote for the Gloucester Magazine, North Shore Newspapers and various magazines until moving to Florida. In Florida she was one of the founders of the Florida Freelance Writers Association and was the recipient of a number of awards.
She was a past President of the Gloucester Garden Club, a member of the Gloucester Female Charitable Association, the Cape Ann Historical Association and the Peabody Museum and the Essex Institute. She is a past member of the Eastern Point Yacht Club and the Annisquam Yacht Club. She was a member and Secretary of the Smith College Club of the Palm Beaches and an active member of the National Trust and the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation.
Mrs. Brown is survived by her 6 children, Judith Ryan and her husband James A. Ryan, Jr. of Gloucester, Joan Brown Herrmann of Conomo Point, Essex, Janice Barry Hamill of Centennial, CO, Carolyn “Bonnie” Barney wife of the late James M. Barney of Ipswich, MA, William G. Brown, IV and his wife Gillian Riggs Brown of Gloucester and Melinda J. McAra, wife Alexander E. McAra of Cataumet, a brother and sister-in-law, Dr. Edward H. and his wife, Patricia Phillips of Sherman, TX, 13 great-grandchildren, James A. Ryan, III, of Marshfield, Whitney Ryan Trapp of Hanson, Todd R. Herrmann of Portland, ME, Laura Herrmann Couallier of Apopka, FL, Craig W. Herrmann of Gloucester, Brett E. Gagnon of Vail, CO, Nicole Gagnon Bichon of Denver, CO, Mason A. Barney of New York City, Caroline Barney of Beverly, Marnie Brown Conti of Portland, OR, William G. Brown of Gloucester, Melinda E. McAra and Sarah A. McAra both of Cataumet. She is also survived by 14 great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held in St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Broadway, Rockport on Saturday, January 26th at 11 a.m. Expressions of sympathy may be made in her memory to the Hospice of the North Shore, 10 Elm St., Danvers, MA 01923 or to the Sawyer Free Library, 2 Dale Ave., Gloucester, MA 01930.