Roosevelt class of 1976 Vanessa Veronique "Vivi" Brown

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Vanessa Veronique 'Vivi' Brown, daughter of Marcia and Bob Brown was born in Stuttgart, Germany on December 26, 1958 while her father was on duty with the army. She died on January 28, 2010 in Seattle after struggling for decades with what we now know as bipolar disorder. Vivi lived in Berkeley, CA. where brother Morgan and sister Tristin were born, Newport Hills, Bellevue, WA; Boulder, CO; and Seattle, WA. As a child Vivi loved physical activity, reading and writing. She pursued dancing, gymnastics, biking, swimming, diving, tennis, hiking, skiing, and soccer, doing the Danskin Triathlon in '07 and '08. Vivi went to Roosevelt High School. She was on the gymnastics team and a commended scholar on the PreSat. She graduated from the University of Washington in Creative Writing with a minor in Ceramic Sculpture, later taking writing classes at Evergreen College, Central Seattle Community College, Hugo House and Northwest Writers Conferences. She organized and attended many writing groups, sharing her poetry, prose and editing others' work. While writing, Vivi worked as a waitress, receptionist, ships' mate on the Argosy, guide at the locks, rangler at preschools, and a Realtor. Her primary interest was teaching: Gymnastics Coach (Garfield Metro Champions), Creative Writing and SAT Test preparation teacher at Nathan Hale Evening School, nanny and licensed Day Care and PreSchool owner. She did collages, glass art, ceramic sculptures, tiles and mosaic assemblages. Vivi's art car was a mosaic wave of glass pieces. It received a full page spread in the Sun Valley, Idaho newspaper. Her passions were her family, niece Kimberly and nephew Teton Brown, uncle Norman Brown, aunt Diane Bogoshian and family, friends, and loves, her many animals, blues music, the environment, the orchids at the conservatory, the view and beach at Golden Gardens, Bill Maher and Obama, reading to the students at BF Day School, and the University Unitarian sermons, music, art and Great Decisions group. She is greatly missed. A memorial will be held on the beach at Golden Gardens on Saturday, June 19th at 5:00pm.