Brad Pitt and his family are grieving the loss of a beloved matriarch—his mother, Jane Etta Pitt, who has passed away at the age of 84.
The heartbreaking news was shared by Brad’s niece, Sydney Pitt, daughter of Brad’s brother Doug Pitt, in an emotional tribute posted to Instagram on August 6. Alongside touching family photos, Sydney honored her grandmother’s memory and vibrant spirit.
“We weren’t ready to say goodbye, sweet Grammy,” she wrote. “But knowing you’re finally free—able to sing, dance, and paint again—brings us a bit of peace.” She described Jane as someone with an immense heart, who loved deeply and unconditionally.
Sydney reflected on the lasting influence her grandmother had on her life:
“She taught me to paint, to be strong, to lead with kindness, to love Jesus through everything, and to find happiness in the little things. She created silly games just to make us laugh, stood firmly for fairness, and believed in doing good simply because it was right.”
Of all the special memories they shared, Sydney recalled one cherished tradition:
“Every year before school started, she gave each of us grandkids a ‘special day’—an entire day just for us to do anything we wanted, with Papa joining in (even if he pretended not to enjoy it).”
For Sydney, those days included banana splits for breakfast, playing the game Trouble for hours, crafting, riding every ride together at Silver Dollar City, eating dinner at Olive Garden, and finishing the night with mini golf and the movie Paulie. “She’d help me aim with her feet in a ‘V’… and still somehow win.”
Jane is survived by her husband William Alvin Pitt, her children—Brad, Doug, and Julie Pitt Neal—and 14 grandchildren.
Sydney concluded her tribute with heartfelt words that resonated with many:
“She could keep up with all 14 grandkids like it was nothing. Her love had no limits, and anyone who met her felt it. I don’t know how we go on without her—but I see her everywhere: in every paint stroke, every act of kindness, every hummingbird. She was the purest kind of love.”
