Jill Barbiers Staniar, 72, of Brewster, MA, passed away at home on May 3, 2023. Jill grew up in Kalamazoo, MI. She received her BA from Michigan State University in 1973.
Jill is survived by her husband, Drew, and her two sons, Brenton and Parker, along with Brenton’s wife, Alyssa, and granddaughter, June. She is also survived by her two sisters, Linda Oakland and Dr. Robyn Barbiers.
After college, Jill moved to New York City to start her career. Not wanting to be considered for a secretarial position, she lied during interviews, claiming she did not know how to type. Her first position was with Young & Rubican Advertising in media planning. As she rose in rank and influence, she worked extensively on the Johnson & Johnson account. Finally, in 1979, Johnson & Johnson was so impressed with her work that they hired her to help manage a significant advertising budget. While at J&J, Jill met her future husband, Drew Staniar. They tried to date secretly, which became the worst-kept secret office romance before marrying in 1983. After that, Jill and Drew moved to the Boston area, where she was Vice President, Media Director at Bozell, Jacobs, Kenyon & Eckhardt. In retirement, Jill’s favorite pastimes were working in her gardens, reading, and walking on the Brewster flats.
A private Celebration of Life will be held this summer. In lieu of flowers, you may donate to Pause A While Inc., PO Box 1973, Brewster, MA 02631