Jill Estabrooke Owen

Jill brought joy, love, and light to everyone blessed to know her. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, and raised in West Palm Beach, Florida, she graduated from Forest Hill High School (Class of 1965) before building a life filled with love, purpose, and care in every place she called home. Eventually, she rooted herself in Charlotte, North Carolina, before returning home to care for her beloved mother, a final act of love that embodied the very core of who she was.

A devoted mother to her daughter, Kelly, and son, Michael, Jill poured her heart into nurturing not just her own children but many others as a deeply cherished nanny for nearly two decades. Her energy was boundless. She was always in motion, always with a list of things to do, whether preparing cards and gifts for upcoming birthdays or making plans for the next holiday. “Sedentary” simply wasn’t in her vocabulary.

She found joy in the gentle beauty of nature, especially butterflies, bunnies, hummingbirds, and flowers, and saw wonder in the world around her. Jill lived with a heart full of hope and an unwavering sense of optimism. She always believed in brighter days ahead and had a remarkable way of lifting others with her outlook. Jill was not just a mother but a best friend, someone whose presence felt like home. She often reminded those she loved not to be sad when her time came, because she believed she would simply be going home, to be with her parents once again. Now, that peaceful homecoming is hers.

She is survived by her loving daughter, Kelly J. Owen, her son, Michael M. Owen, daughter-in-law, Tara S. Owen, and her cherished granddaughters, Emery C. Owen and Cora J. Owen. She is also survived by her brother, Jay H. Estabrooke, and her niece, Sara A. Rasmussen, along with Sara’s husband, Curtiss W. Rasmussen, and their daughters, Aubrey S. Rasmussen and Catherine D. Rasmussen. Jill was preceded in death by her beloved parents, Jeanne E. Estabrooke and Harry J. Estabrooke.

She will always be remembered with love, and with deep gratitude for the optimism, compassion, and grace she brought into so many lives.