Mary Janis Rapier Brown

Mary Janis Rapier Brown, 91, passed away peacefully on June 28, 2026, in Winter Park, Florida, surrounded by her family.

Janis was born on March 14, 1935, in Owensboro, Kentucky, the first child of Aloysius and Henrietta Rapier. She was raised in Louisville, Kentucky and attended Sacred Heart Academy, where she met her high school sweetheart, Anthony “Tony” Brown. She went on to attend Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and married Tony in Louisville in 1957. They moved to Ft. Pierce, FL in 1961, where they raised their family and spent the rest of their lives together. Janis and Tony had five children and were married for 51 years.

Janis was an elementary school teacher, managed a bar and restaurant, and even had a local TV show, “Around Town with Janis Brown.” She was a lifelong learner and went back to college later in life, graduating from Barry University in 1986. She spent the majority of her working career as an administrator at Indian River State College, where she worked into her late 70s.

Janis was a devout Catholic, who lived her faith proudly throughout her life. She was a founding member and active parishioner at St. Mark’s Catholic Church. She loved to volunteer and served many charitable organizations, including the St. Mark's Catholic Church Thrift Store, St. Vincent de Paul Society, the A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery, Heathcote Botanical Gardens, and the P.E.O. Foundation. She found great joy in socializing, entertaining, playing bridge, spending time at the beach, going on cruises, traveling the world, and making treasured memories with her family and friends.

She is survived by her sons, Jay Brown (Susan) of Gainesville, FL, and Matt Brown (Jeanette) of Winter Park, FL; her grandchildren, Michael Fields, Mitchel Fields, Mia Fields, Marc Fields, Christina Escalante (Jeff), Anthony Brown, Michael Brown, Martin Brown (Mallory), Carmelo Escobar (Elizabeth), Nicholas Brown (Hailey), Elizabeth Brown, Benjamin Brown, and Addison Brown; and 11 great-grandchildren.

Janis was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Dr. Anthony Brown; her parents, Aloysius and Henrietta Rapier; her siblings, Martha Del Brown, Margaret Kent, and Suzanne Rapier; her children, Kelley Fields, Melissa Brown, and Kerrick Brown; and her granddaughter, Ashley Escobar.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, July 9, 2026 from 5:00-7:00 PM at Haisley Funeral Home, Fort Pierce. A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, July 10, 2026 at 10:00 AM at St. Mark’s Catholic Church. The Burial Rite of Committal will follow the Mass at White City Cemetery.