Jane Etta Hillhouse Pitt, the mother of actor Brad Pitt, died on August 5, 2025, at age 84, according to the family obituary shared with Missouri station KY3. Remembered for her work as a teacher and parent educator, her art, and her service in Springfield, she was also the namesake of a local pediatric cancer center.
Who was Jane Etta Pitt?
Jane Etta Hillhouse Pitt was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on August 13, 1940, and grew up in Joplin, Missouri, according to her family’s obituary. She attended Oklahoma Baptist University and married William Alvin “Bill” Pitt on August 11, 1962. The couple later settled in Springfield, Missouri, where they raised their three children: Brad, Doug, and Julie. KY3 reproduced the family obituary.
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What did Jane Pitt do?
Teaching and parent education
The obituary says Jane began her career as an elementary school teacher and later became one of the original Parents As Teachers for Springfield Public Schools. In that role, she helped parents navigate children’s academic and social development.
Volunteer service and art
Her family obituary also recalls her long volunteer association with Springfield’s Pregnancy Care Center and describes her as a gifted artist whose main medium was paint. It says she shared painting and crafts with her grandchildren.
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What was Jane Pitt’s family life and legacy?
Jane and Bill Pitt had fourteen grandchildren. The family obituary remembers her making time for each through “Your Special Day” traditions. Her granddaughter Sydney Pitt paid tribute to her as “love in its purest form,” according to ABC News.
Her name is also associated with pediatric cancer care in Springfield. KY3 reports that the Pitt family donated $1 million in 2009, leading to the establishment of the Jane Pitt Pediatric Cancer Center. Mercy’s current center page identifies it as a pediatric cancer treatment center at 1235 E. Cherokee Street in Springfield. St. Jude describes the Springfield affiliate clinic as a joint effort with Mercy Children’s Hospital located within the Jane Pitt Pediatric Cancer Center.
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When did Jane Pitt die, and what was her cause of death?
The family obituary gives her date of death as August 5, 2025, and her age as 84. It does not state a cause of death, and contemporaneous reports by the Los Angeles Times and ABC News also did not report one. The obituary said a private Celebration of Life would be held at a future date but gave no date or venue.
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