Jean Browning Rockwell

Jean Browning Rockwell passed away peacefully on July 10, 2019 at home surrounded by her family.  She will be remembered as a true Grande Dame possessing an elegant grace and an unflinching devotion to her family. She was predeceased by her loving husband Col. Frederick Gore Rockwell Jr. (USMA ‘51), who died in 2017.

Jean was born in Washington D.C. in 1932 to Louise Fenwick Browning and John Russell Browning.  Raised in Arlington, Virginia, she loved baseball and carried an early nickname “Slugger.”  As a child, she exhibited the stubborn, independent and fun-loving traits that would carry her throughout a life of adventure.  She attended Western High School, now Duke Ellington School for the Arts, in Washington D.C where she first developed her noted fashion sense and her love of the French language.  After high school, she attended Mary Washington College and in 1951 married her husband with whom she would spend the next sixty-six years raising a family and traveling the world.

As an Army spouse, Jean was charged with managing her ever growing family throughout her husband’s deployments and frequent assignments that included Monmouth, NJ, Boston, MA, West Point, NY, Orleans, France, Newport, RI, Stuttgart and Heidelberg, Germany and Sacramento, CA.  In 1976, upon Fred’s retirement from the Army, the family moved to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia where they lived until returning to Falls Church, Virgina.  Jean was an active member of the Women’s Group of Riyadh. 

Jean is survived by her six children, the Honorable Frederick G. Rockwell III of Chesterfield, VA, Cary R. Cavness (William) of Falls Church, VA, J. Browning Rockwell (Sana) of Cincinnati, OH, Jean S. Rockwell of Leikanger, Norway, Edward F. Rockwell (Elizabeth) of Raleigh, NC and Christian A. Rockwell (Caitlin) of Alexandria, VA; eighteen grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.  She was predeceased by her dear sister Virginia Cousins.

Mumsie, as she was affectionately called by her grandchildren, was a constant source of love and understanding.  She always wrote notes to remember anniversaries and milestones and a birthday card was never missed.  She was a long-standing member of The National Society of Colonial Dames of America, The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and the Army Navy Country Club.  She enjoyed traveling, collecting antiques, playing Bridge, reading – especially The New Yorker, Peppermint Patties, a little mischief and speaking French.  She also enjoyed time spent with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren at the family summer home “Les Roches” in North Shores, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.  She will be missed by all who knew her.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company. (Please see link below).  

Services and burial will be held at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery.  Please check back for additional information regarding service date and time, as details become available.

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