Jean Vigliotta DeVilbiss

Jean Vigliotta DeVilbiss, beloved mother, wife, and friend, passed on January 31st, 2026, after a brief battle with cancer. In keeping with her wishes, Jean was cremated, and her ashes were scattered at sea off the California coast.

Jean was born on August 3, 1946, to Anthony and Helen Vigliotta, in Long Island, New York, and grew up in Staten Island. She came from a large Italian family, and those early years shaped her deeply. Big gatherings, lots of food, cooking passed down from previous generations. She carried that tradition forward her entire life, continuing her family’s legacy in the kitchen, and in the garden.

In the early 1970s, Jean made her way to Santa Barbara, California, where she would spend the rest of her life. In 1972, she met her future husband Loren on a blind date, and they wed in 1973. Together they raised two children, Kerry and Holly, and filled their home with more pets than could reasonably be listed.

Jean worked in escrow in the early years of her career, later becoming a property manager, work that suited her practical intelligence and her people skills. As a hobby, she also did miniatures work for clients throughout Southern California for many years, a craft she was known for and took seriously.

Jean was generous, direct, and funny, devoted to her family, a close circle of friends, and a long line of pets who were never anything less than family members. She loved to read voraciously, especially a good mystery.

Jean is predeceased by her husband of 49 years, Loren, and her daughter Stacy. She is survived by her son Kerry, her daughter Holly, and her adoring Pekingese companion, Jovi.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Jean’s name to Tibetan Mastiff Rescue, Inc.