Gloria Collins Brownell

Longtime Bainbridge resident Gloria Collins Brownell, age 75, died peacefully in her home March 10 following a stroke, surrounded by her family.

Born Gloria Stephenson in New York City in 1929, she was adopted by John and Anne Collins of Princeton, N.J., and grew up attending Catholic school until entering Princeton High.

She loved to ice skate and play tennis, and treasured her memories of going to college sporting events with her father.

She often spent summers at the Jersey shore with her favorite aunt and uncle, and there developed a profound love of the sea and its shimmering light, and the shells she collected.

She met her husband, Frank, while folk dancing; they married in 1950, and moved west to his home in Seattle the same year. The couple moved to Bainbridge Island in 1951, and during their 24-year marriage, she raised five daughters and was active in the cultural life of the still primarily rural island.

She was often seen at T&C enjoying an iced chai, at the Glass Onion ordering eclectic music, and at Lynwood Theatre watching films from diverse genres. She enjoyed driving a blue VW Beetle, and had a wry sense of humor.

A founding member of the Bainbridge Chorale, she sang soprano in the group for many years, and before that, with the Bainbridge Light Opera. She was a knowledgeable and passionate listener of music of all types, most especially Bach, opera and piano, which she herself played.

A lifelong enthusiast of folk dancing and ballet, she rejoined her adult ballet class even though her strength was declining. She was an ardent flower lover with a colorful and vibrant garden around her home.

She was also an active reader whose tastes in literature spanned a wide spectrum, from modern experimental works to the classics of the ancients. A published poet, her first public recognition came at age 18, when she won a poetry competition sponsored by Fordham University.

She volunteered in Providence Hospital’s intensive care unit, where she provided sympathy and fresh flowers to the families of patients for 18 years. In one of many awards honoring her service, the Sisters of Providence wrote that “Gloria is a deep, caring person who always goes the extra step to be sure families of ICU patients are comfortable, supported and kept well informed. Her devotion brings to life the mission of our hospital.”

Her volunteer work reflected her charitable giving and concern for humanitarian causes.

She is survived by daughters Babs, Jennifer, Susan and Nell; and five grandchildren: Sarah, Leah, Benjamin, Samuel and Francine.

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Lissy, in 1970.

Services will be at 4 p.m. March 21 at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, with private interment at Port Blakely Cemetery.

The family suggests donations be made to Save the Children, Doctors Without Borders, or Hospice of Kitsap County. Arrangements are by Kass Funeral Home.