Jill Evans Petzall

On Wednesday, October 23, 2024, Jill Evans Petzall passed away at the age of 82. Born May 23, 1942, to Willard Levy and Marjorie Schlesinger, Jill went by many different names and lived many different lives.

In the art world, she was Jill Evans Petzall, the filmmaker who wrote and produced over forty documentaries. Her work won numerous prestigious awards, most notably four Emmys, a Corporation for Public Broadcasting Award, a CINE Golden Eagle Award, and the Golden Reel Award from ITVA. She was the recipient of Washington University's Arts & Sciences Distinguished Alumna Award in 2006, and the Outstanding Person of the Year Award in 1997, from the University of Missouri - St. Louis School of Social Work. Known for casting a balanced light on social issues and accurately portraying subjects not often represented in mainstream media, her work offers poetic and uncommon insights about human beings speaking within the grip of their daily lives. She was drawn to the authentic, the remarkable, and the profound. Her films resonate with a timeless relevance.

She earned a B.A. in Philosophy and English Literature (Magna cum Laude) and an M.A. in Philosophy, both from Washington University in St. Louis. She was also a Senior Instructor at UMSL Honors College, Washington University, and Webster University.

To her kids, she was Mom. She modeled for them a fierce independence and courage to build a life according to one's own vision. She insisted on using the dining room and cloth napkins even when it was just family because she believed in bringing beauty into their lives and surroundings. When it came to aesthetic living, no detail was irrelevant. But what her kids remember most is her laughter and enthusiasm; you could hear the joy in her voice.

To her grandkids, she was Gommie, the grandmother who, when they were young, kept a basket of pretty rocks and old keys and little trinkets to explore whenever they were over. She accepted as honorary grandkids any friends who happened to tag along for family dinners. She loved for her grandkids to let themselves into the house, and she would have been mortally offended if they had ever come in through the front door or—heaven forbid!—knocked.

To her friends, she was Jill: the life of any party; a woman capable of forming strong personal relationships and lasting bonds over the course of a single evening; the beating heart of a warm and welcoming home full of love, laughter, and an ever-filled cornucopia of inventive appetizers.

She spent the last 32 years married to Claude Evans. He was the love of her life; the co-host of her parties; the subject of much of her poetry, the man who supported her through art projects, illnesses, and adventures of all kinds. The smiles on their faces when they looked at each other, and the deep affection and respect they showed one another, serve as a model to her child and grandchildren of what love can be.

In her charity work, she often chose to go unnamed completely. Always a strong supporter of causes that benefit women and children, she served as the chairwoman of the Square One Foundation, but cared more for impact than acknowledgement.

She lived an amazing life. She was a traveler who visited India, France, Thailand, Spain, Laos, Singapore, Cambodia, Portugal, the UK, Italy, Germany, and the Galapagos. She played a mean hand of poker. She was a photographer who found visual stories in the laundry of India and the mannequins of Southeast Asia. She was a jewelry maker who created dazzling pieces of wearable art.

Her terrible command of French did nothing to overpower her joy in speaking it. She kept her pool so heated that even in the St. Louis summer it didn’t feel refreshing. She once served homemade parmesan ice cream with chocolate balsamic vinegar for dessert. Her synesthesia meant she saw words and sounds as colors on the page. She was one of few people in the world who loved anchovies on IMO’s pizza. She was allergic to parsley and the color red.

She is survived by her loving husband, Claude Evans; her sister, Elma Kanefield; her stepsiblings David Levy (Phyllis) and Elizabeth Levy; her three children, Julie Simpher (Jeff), Jenny Petzall, and Guy Petzall (Sarah); her six grandkids, Jamie Simpher, Jacob Simpher, Kepler Petzall, Jasper Sage, Ben Sage, and Kaya Sage; as well as her beloved dog, Jack; and an enormous chosen family.

In lieu of a formal service, if you are looking for a way to show love and support, please consider a contribution to the Saint Louis Crisis Nursery to honor Jill’s lifelong dedication to helping local women and children.