Brion, Jovita Escondo

Jovita Escondo Brion, 77, passed into eternal life on June 10, 2025.

Jovita was born to Vicente B. Brion and Ramona (Escondo) Brion in Manila, Philippines on February 15, 1948.  She grew up in Manila along with two brothers and one sister.   She earned her nursing degree at Marian Medical Hospital in Manila, graduating in 1969.  In April 1970 she began her nursing career in West Germany as a urology nurse for a Red Cross hospital in Wupperrtal. In 1973, she moved to the United States and settled in St Louis, Missouri, to reunite with her two brothers, where she helped raise her newborn nephew, Giovanni.   She also helped look after her nieces, Sarah and Elise, and nephew Gene.  Although she never married, she was a loving and generous aunt to all her nephews and nieces in the US, and halfway around the world in the Philippines.

Jovita continued her nursing career in St Louis, working at City Hospital, Malcolm Bliss Hospital and St. Alexius Hospital (Alexian Brothers’ Hospital).  She specialized in many areas which included skilled nursing, intensive care and psychiatry.  At each unit she excelled in her nursing profession and was known for being a caring presence to both patients and the medical professionals who worked alongside her.

Her deeply compassionate heart and spirit for her medical patients was Jovita’s norm. She was known for working with the most challenging of psychiatric and drug-addicted patients, often coming home to the family with reports of being spit on, called many inappropriate names, along with experiencing physical aggression from suffering individuals over the years. She never asked for re-assignment, as Jovita truly had a heart of Christ. Truly, she was a part of the healing journey of thousands of people over her multiple decades of serving as a high-ranking Registered Nurse. She was a quiet and long-suffering Servant of God Almighty, always maintaining her Faith in the Lord!

She enjoyed listening to diverse types of music.  She loved to attend concerts and Broadway musicals.  She always had many stories to tell, as she had a remarkable memory for past events.  She loved rooting for the local St Louis sports teams such as the Cardinals, the Rams or the Blues.  She had an interest in baking and cooking.  And she was always on the lookout for the best shopping deals.  Most importantly, she was always giving to the people that she loved.

Jovita was pre-deceased by her brothers Demosthenes Brion, Plaridel (Presentacion) Brion, Dr. Pacelli (Noemi) Brion, sister Violeta (Orland) Exconde and nephew Ariel (Clarita) Exconde. She is survived by her nephews Albert Exconde, Alvin (Lea) Exconde, Ashley (Mitz) Exconde, Giovanni (Maria Catalina) Brion and Gene Brion, and nieces Sarah Brion and Elise Brion.
She is also survived by her sister-in-law Noemi Brion, numerous cousins and extended family such as the Belen family, the Cadiz family, the Alconaba family; friends Ting, Lori, the Decepida family, the Desamero families, the Azucena family, Imelda, Melvina, Lynn, Grace and Leo.   Jovita was a friend to a countless number of people throughout her life.

SERVICES:  Visitation and prayer service will take place on Sunday, June 29, 2025, at Kutis Funeral Home’s Affton Chapel, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. Visitation and funeral mass will also take place at Cathedral Mortuary Chapels in San Pablo City, Laguna, Philippines. Visitation is scheduled for July 26, 2025, with funeral mass on July 27, 2025.  Burial will be at San Pablo Municipal Cemetery.