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Obituary for Janet Gorton Brunson
Janet Sylvia Brunson passed away on March 25, 2022 at Hospice Ministries in Ridgeland MS. She is survived by her husband, George H. (Skip) Brunson of Madison, her son, Ian Simon Parmegiani of the Barnett Reservoir area and her older brother, Colin Gorton, who resides in England.
Janet was born July 6, 1942 in Birmingham, England. She was the daughter of Persival Merphyn and Sylvia Marble Gorton of Solihull, England. Janet was 79 years old when she lost her twelve year battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.
Janet grew up and was educated in Solihull and Knowle, Warwickshire, England. She completed her “O levels” (high school) at age 17. She was accepted at George VI School for Girls, an advanced level school in Birmingham for exceptional young women. While attending George VI, she earned a degree in bookkeeping and office management. She loved singing Alto in her church choir.
Janet also enjoyed singing and an occasional acting part, in multiple Birmingham area stage theater performances. At one of these productions, a fellow performer, who was employed by British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC) in Birmingham, told her about an available position on “The Archers,” a situation comedy radio program which was broadcast live throughout the British Empire. Janet’s alto voice and her state production knowledge earned her the position of “stage sound effects manager.”
Not long after she was hired for “The Archers,” BBC developed a live interview program featuring the musical groups so very popular among young people in the early 1960’s.
Janet was chosen to be the “initial” interviewer – meaning she interviewed the talent person/performers prior to the actual “live on air” interview. She would then write the actual script to be used on the air. This script allowed the performer/s, the talent managers, lawyer and the actual live radio interviewer the opportunity to review the scripted questions and responses prior to the “on air” broadcast. Occasionally, the person being interviewed would fail to follow the prearranged script --- “BEEP - fifteen second delay”. Recently, her Alzheimer’s made it impossible for her to remember names other than Mick Jagger, The Monkeys and the Beatles.
In 1965, Janet visited an English friend who was living in Bermuda. Janet fell in love with Bermuda – so much that she resigned her position at BBC and moved to Bermuda. She found a desk clerk/auditor/bookkeeper position at one of the large tourist hotels on the island. She also found JeanJacque Parmegiani – an executive chef at the hotel – who would become her first husband.
Over the next several years, JeanJacque’s employment moved the couple to the Bahamas, Jamaica, Boca Raton and Jackson, MS. Along the way, their son, Ian Simon Parmegiani was born on March 13, 1973 in Birmingham, England. (Janet returned to England to ensure that Ian became an English citizen.) On arriving in the Jackson area to operate a new, locally owned, upscale French style restaurant, the Parmegiani family moved to Ridgeland. As the settled in, they met their new next door neighbors – George “Skip” Brunson and his wife.
By 1979, both Janet and Skip were “single again.” On April 18, 1964, at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, Jackson, MS. – Janet became Mrs. George H. Brunson. Ian carried the rings to the altear and placed them in Janet’s and Skip’s hands. Truly, Janet had come “half way around the world to marry the boy next door.” In the fall of 1964, Janet and Skip sold their homes, combined the money, and moved to “our house” in Madison.
Janet continued her bookkeeping and office management work with several local CPA, import/export and manufacturing businesses. Her last position was with Stewpot Community Services in Jackson. She loved her work at Stewpot because she felt she was making a contribution toward the improvement of the lives of the people served by Stewpot.
She retired in October 2010 when the Alzheimer’s made her work too difficult for her to continue. She then volunteered at the Madison animal rescue center until she could no longer drive an automobile safely. As a child of England, where home gardening is a passion, Janet loved indoor and outdoor gardening. She continued until a recent fall made her unable to continue.
Janet – “I would like to thank my friends and fellow choir members who supported me and allowed me to participate in the St. Philip’s choir long after I should have stopped.”
Janet requested that donations/contributions in her name be directed to Stewpot Community Services, 1100 West Capitol Street, Jackson, MS. 39203 – phone 601.353.2759.
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