Jean C. Twiss, of Dennis, Mass, died at Epoch of Brewster on Saturday, October 6, 2012. She was 90 years old. She was the second American-born child of her Russian Émigré parents, the late Konstantin and Katherine Socoloff. She was pre-deceased by her sister Mary C. Melnick and her brother Walter C Socoloff.
She is survived by: her son, Richard H. LaFreniere and his wife Marilyn, Lakeland, Florida; her daughter Barbara J. Decareau, and her husband James, Ipswich, Mass; by her daughter-in-law Sandra Gynan and her husband Sam, Greenville, Maine; and by her son-in-law Francis J Weber, Summerville, SC; by her niece Kathryn M. Pike and her husband Tom, Cambridge, NY; and by her nephew Andrew D. Melnick, Dennis Mass. She had nine grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren, along with many grand/great nieces and nephews.
Jean, and her late husband, Chester N. Twiss, retired from The Jordan Marsh Company and The Salem Evening News, respectively, and moved to Dennis from the North Shore community of Hamilton, Mass in the early 80’s.
She was a 29 year volunteer at Cape Cod Hospital Auxiliary, Hyannis with over 10,000 hours of volunteer service. She served on the boards of: Council on Aging, Dennis, Josiah Dennis Manse, Dennis Water Quality Advisory Board, Dennis Village Improvement Society, Village Garden Club of Dennis, the Questers, Barnstable, Mass. She was a Past President of the Hunt Memorial Aid in Danvers, Mass, and the Hamilton-Wenham Historical Society.
She was a forty-plus year breast cancer survivor. She was a friend of The Dennis Memorial Library and was very grateful to the Dennis Fire Department and EMT Service for their fast responses to her calls for medical aid and assistance. Donations, in lieu of flowers, to the library, fire department, or any of the organizations mentioned here, will be deeply appreciated by the family.
A private graveside service was held in Danvers, Mass on Wednesday, October 10, where she will be laid to rest along side her husband Chet.