Jeanette Kirkland

Jeanette Kirkland, age 87, was born March 19, 1934, to Ruben Sims and Jeanette Pickett, both deceased in Tallassee, Alabama, the youngest of siblings, Louisa Sims, Warren Hill, Eddie Hill, Vera Barton-Hall, Gertrude Barton-Hood, Lula Mae Griffin, James Sims, John Arthur Sims, Lizzie Sims, Alberta Buckhanon, Mary Ethel Sims and a host of others.

At the age of 2, Jeanette left Alabama to live with her eldest brother Warren, Jeanette would often tell stories of her childhood in Florida where she would go fishing.  She loved reminiscing of the times of running around in the woods barefoot with her friends.  She spoke about fond memories of her soaking her feet in her favorite pond and letting the sun soak in her skin.

Jeanette returned to Tallassee at the age of 10.  She attended high school at Tallassee High School.   She married Arthur Brown in Elmore, Alabama on July 23, 1949.  She mothered three children, Arthur Brown, Jr. Gladys Brown (deceased), and Jeanette Brown from this union.

Years later, she moved to Canada where she performed in her own produced show beginning her dance career.  She had spent 21+ years performing, when she moved back to Cleveland, Ohio in the 1980's she met and wed her husband Claude Kirkland in 1995.

After a long battle with cancer and other illnesses, Jeanette left this earth on November 20, 2021.  She is survived by her husband, Claude Kirkland, daughter Jeanette Brown and son Arthur Brown (Bobby) Jr. and four grandchildren, her sister, Alberta Buckhanon, her nieces Mary Griffin, Fannie Berry, Mary Davis, and a host of great-nieces and nephews.

Family and friends are welcome on Friday, December 3, 2021, at Bican Brothers Funeral Home, 5215 Fleet Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44105 from 10:00 a.m. until time of funeral services at 11:00 a.m.   Interment Riverside Cemetery.