Jaap Hilbrand died peacefully at his home in Manhattan on Nov. 17, 2024. He was 85.
He was born in the Netherlands and grew up in Alkmaar, near Amsterdam. Educated at boarding school, he served in the Dutch equivalent of our Green Berets. He studied textile engineering and worked in Munich and Paris before emigrating to the United States in 1965. Living in Los Angeles with a yen for travel, he answered an ad for a language-qualified purser on Trans World Airlines, then one of the world’s foremost airlines. With his partner, Mary Ann Zovko, he flew internationally for 35 years.
A natural athlete, he was a skilled sailor, which brought him to Greenport. Here, he could sail and bike, as Dutchmen love to do. Jaap and Mary Ann opened “The Doofpot” in Stirling Square in 1973, selling a wide variety of imported ceramics, Murano chandeliers and other artisan-produced items. They became a fixture in Greenport, hosting dinners and inviting many to their Stirling Harbor home. Jaap was always happiest surrounded by people, enjoying food and good conversation.
In 1993, they opened another store in Palm Beach, Fla., called “Maryanna Suzanna.” It had a wide clientele of international and year-round residents. He and Mary Ann made annual trips to factories in Italy to purchase new items for their stores. Both stores thrived until they were sold in 2019, allowing Jaap and Mary Ann to continue their love of travel.
Jaap was one of those rare people who had a wide range of interests and seemed expert at many of them. He had an active mind, offering his opinion and assistance to many. He will be missed and long remembered by the entire community.
Jaap would have wanted contributions in his memory to go to CAST, or a reminder to all to help their neighbors and those in need.
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