Nancy Brown Jones, a lifelong resident of Winnetka, passed away at the age of 103 on 3-30-20. She was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Clarence Boyd Jones (1994). She was the daughter of Edward Vail Lapham Brown, a renown ophthalmologist in Chicago and worldwide, and Frieda Kirchoff Brown. She attended North Shore Country Day School, and Graduated from Smith College in 1937, marrying in 1940.
Think of the world of 1916 into which Nancy was born. Airplanes still had 2 or 3 sets of wings, open cockpits, and were primarily carnival attractions. There were virtually no inter-city paved roads west of the Mississippi river. There were virtually no houses in her home town of Winnetka between the village and the lake. Women didn’t go to college and couldn’t vote. They stayed home, did chores, and raised children.
Now think about what Nancy achieved in her life. Certainly she stayed home after graduating from college and raised a family, but beyond that, she had a rare combination of vision, focus, energy, and a willingness to take on things daunting to others to help and build in her community. What a dynamo!! What accomplishment!! When the Hadley School for the Blind, co-founded by her father, was down to its last $500 in 1951- bound to close – she undertook a fundraising initiative that brought the school back from the brink by engaging and energizing social friends to host teas at which Hadley’s mission and needs were displayed. She then was co-founder of the Women’s Board to continue that important work, and later initiated and executed one of the first charitable Christmas card programs in the nation – wildly successful – that has raised more than $2.5 millions over the last 60+ years. She was also deeply involved in the planning and building of Hadley’s headquarters in Winnetka, and in oversight of school management. She was made a Life Trustee in later years. On another front, in 1952 she was a co-founder of one of the first ladies investment clubs in the country, the Monday Syndicate, and called upon local friends / corporate executives to educate and advise the club. She was also invited to become the National Chair of a major Smith College fundraising drive, but declined, managing a District instead. In the early ’80, she co-chaired a family reunion outreach to the hundreds of descendants of her forebears, the 1834 Meunch émigrés from Germany. Over 225 family members came for a weekend in 1984 to Augusta, MO, where the original émigrés had settled. I have often thought she could have been a corporate CEO.
And what an athlete. She was twice Indian Hill Country Club Ladies Golf Champion, the Western Golf Assn. Ladies Pro-Am Champion with IHC pro Sam Bernardi, and won the US Ladies National Curling championship in 1959 (Sports Illustrated “Faces in the Crowd” recognition). We were all so very proud!!
But it is as Mom and Biki that she was best loved and will be remembered. She was so involved and interactive with her children’s and grandchildren’s lives: reading to us them; teaching them Canasta; playing hangman; Walnut Street neighborhood gang stickball games; Gilbert & Sullivan operettas; wonderful summers in Castle Park; learning the stock market. She loved us well, but was tough too: tuna / noodle casserole, homemade mac and cheese, and Scotch mince, but you better eat all the rutabagas, parsnips, and Brussels sprouts as well. She had high expectations, but provided all the support needed to help us achieve. And her happiness was always evidenced by her beautiful singing / humming as she went about her day – she had played the female lead, Yum Yum, in her high school production of The Mikado.
Then came grandchildren and Florida. Christmases in Tequesta was certainly special. And what grandparents take on 2-3 under-10s solo for spring break week in Florida (even if they had to eat fish). Visits to lion country, boating and fishing with the Chandlers, Marco Polo in the pool, TCC dinner dances, learning golf at TCC, or just hanging out on the beach or porch. And who can forget fun at IHC: 4th of July cook-outs, swim lessons in the pool, the opportunities for golf, and her cadre of Jones grandchildren caddies? No-one could have been a better grandmother.
She leaves three children (Edward Boyd, Stuart Kirchoff, and Gwendolyn J. McConnaughy), six grandchildren (Christopher Boyd (Gail), Donald Boyd (Katie), Marilyn Elizabeth, and Peter Boyd (Prema) Jones; and Molly McConnaughy (Andrew) Patience , and Thomas (Taylor) McConnaughy), and seven greatgrandchildren (Cassidy, Connor, Cooper, Quinn, Lumen, and Astra Jones, and Andrew Patience Jr.) to mourn her loss.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hadley Institute for the Blind, 700 Elm Street, Winnetka, Illinois, 60093. A Memorial Service will be held at a later date. For Info, 847-251-8200
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