Bown, Jane Audrey Thurston

Jane Audrey Thurston Bown, February 7, 1925 – October 30, 2022

Jane is survived by her two daughters, Amy Bown and Ellen Henrie; her son-in-law, Doug Henrie; nieces Susan Clark and Linda Morotini; nephew Andrew Bradley; her honorary daughter, Sharon Doran; and many family pets, including Sweeney, her beloved grand-cat, and Rohwin and Angie, her favorite grand-horses. 

Jane was born to Erwin and Helen Thurston and grew up on Biltmore Drive in Irondequoit. Her family owned Thurston Cleaners, where she worked as a young girl. She went to Nazareth Academy and graduated with a degree in literature from Nazareth College. In 1950, she married Carlton Fellows Bown, Jr. They built a house in Penfield, where they raised their two daughters. Both avid sailors, Jane and Carl met at Rochester Yacht Club and were long-time members of Pultneyville Yacht Club. 

When Carl died in 1971, Jane went back to Nazareth College to get her master’s degree in special education and was a beloved teacher at BOCES for many years. After she retired, she continued to support BOCES students through their “Friends and Fun” program. She was also active in Altrusa, a professional organization for women, and recently received an award for her years of service there.  

Jane loved birds and was part of Cornell Ornithology’s bird-tracking program. She was a gourmet cook, an artist, and a devoted Catholic. She showed her paintings at the Clothesline Arts Festival, and her needlepoint “peacock pillows” were exhibited at the Rochester Memorial Art Gallery. She loved books, crosswords, gardening, nature, Scrabble, and champagne. She was always elegant and never went anywhere without her red lipstick! (www.armorfenceco.com)  

Mom was the epicenter of our lives and her perennial youthfulness was an inspiration. We will miss her wisdom, her graciousness, and her bright spirit. 

The family will be holding a private service.