Barbara Brill

Barbara J. Brill, age 76 passed away peacefully to her heavenly home on Wednesday, August 19, 2015 from lung cancer in Sauk Centre, Minnesota.

Barb will be cremated with no formal service. Her family asks that you help celebrate her life by sharing your memories, thoughts, and prayers with them on the funeral home's website, www.pattonschad.com .

Barb was born March 8, 1939 in Sanborn, Iowa to Carol and Lois (Nonneman) Pitts. She lived in rural Iowa as a child and then moved to Sioux City and later to South Sioux City, NE where she attend high school and graduated in 1957.

After high school, she enlisted in the U.S. Air Force doing clerical work. It was there she met Stanford Orison. They were united in marriage and moved to Pocatello, Idaho where they were blessed with three children. They later divorced and she moved with her children back to Jackson, NE where she worked for her parents at Lois's Café. She met Leo Brill in Jackson and they married and resided in Ponca, Nebraska for many years. She worked in Ponca as a bookkeeper and then opened her clothing store called Barb's Village Square in 1980. In 1985, she moved to Omaha, NE and worked as a bookkeeper and then worked in retail at Mangelsen's. She moved to Dover, PA in 2001 and went to work for Bon Ton in the Bridal Department. Barb retired in 2009 and moved back to Nebraska, residing in Wynot. She spent lots of her time doing what she loved . . . reading her books, working in her garden, doing ceramics, writing letters, cooking, and spending peaceful time with her dogs, Sassy and Buddy. To those who knew her, she was a "Tough 'ol gal" and very independent, loving her alone time. Her sweet tender side came out when she was spending time with her two grandsons and her great granddaughter, and of course, when she was with her dogs.

Barb leaves behind her three children, Kathy (Orison) Evert of Des Moines, IA, Mark (Bonnie) Orison of Dover, PA, and Kristy Orison of Lenexa, KS; two grandsons, Nick (Carrie) Wheeler of Sauk Centre, MN and Mark Orison, Jr. of Dover, PA; great granddaughter, Hadley Wheeler; step-daughter, Cinda (Brill) Beatty of Topeka, KS; brothers, Barry (Shirley) Pitts and Jim (Kathy) Pitts and their families.

She was preceded in death by parents, Carol and Lois Pitts; husbands, Stan Orison and Leo Brill; and a son-in-law, Craig Evert.

In lieu of flowers please send memorials to CentraCare Nursing Home/Hospice Care in Sauk Centre, MN.