BRANDON,FL: Jean M. Maguire 87, formerly of Haverhill, passed away November 13, 2016. Jean was born in Marlboro MA, May 3, 1929, the daughter of the late J. Walter and Mildred M. (Nason) Maguire. She grew up in Haverhill, MA and graduated from Bridgewater State Teachers College in 1950. Jean later earned her Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from Boston University and began her teaching career at a U.S. military base school in Okinawa, Japan, that sparked a life-long interest in Asian culture.
After returning stateside, she devoted her talents to educating the youth of Haverhill and mentoring newer teachers. Jean worked for many years with first-grade students at Tilton School until her retirement in December of 1984.
She was a member of the National Education Association and the Massachusetts Teachers Association. Retirement brought Jean to Gulfport, FL where she was much closer to Disney World and able to devote more time to the many hobbies she pursued. She enjoyed playing Scrabble, reading, creating needlepoint, crochet projects, classic movies, and taking walks along the shore. Jean loved animals and always cherished her time with the cats she would adopt.
In later years she eventually moved to Brandon, FL to be near her dear friends and adopted family, Jan Goldonowicz, Jessica (Eric) DeSalvo, and Joanna Goldonowicz. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her brothers, Daniel Maguire, Paul and his wife Rita Maguire, and Jan’s husband Mike. Jean will be greatly missed but never forgotten for her kindness, passion for life and love for others.
A Memorial Mass to celebrate Jean’s life will be held Wednesday December 28th, at 10:00AM from Saint James Parish, 185 Winter St. Haverhill, MA. Interment will take place at Saint James Cemetery Haverhill.