Ferguson, Jean Dwinell proper to the very last, succumbed to pancreatic cancer on December 16, exactly two months after her 85th birthday. She rejoins George, her beloved husband of 61 years, who passed away in September. She is survived by her daughters, Lee and Jenny, their husbands, her four grandchildren and her brother James F. Dwinell III and his wife Ellen.
Jean was born in Cambridge, grew up in Winchester, MA, and summered on Squam Lake in New Hampshire. After attending the Winsor School, she graduated from Smith College. She became a third-grade teacher at Tenacre Country Day, the start of a decades long relationship with the Wellesley independent school. She and George raised their two daughters in Sherborn and Weston and spent every summer on Craigville Beach and Lake Wequaquet in Centerville. More recently, she and George spent their winters in Boca Grande, FL enjoying the beach and the birds. A dynamic volunteer, Jean served at many organizations including the Museum of Fine Arts and the Boca Grande Health Clinic. She was also a relentless fundraiser and organizer for her beloved Smith College Class of 1959.
An accomplished amateur cook, Jean was constantly collecting and sampling new recipes to try out on her receptive family and friends. She was also a voracious reader who always had the hottest new book on her bedside table. The Osterville Needlepoint Shop can attest to her artistic skills as she produced countless pillows as well as annual Christmas ornaments for her four grandchildren.
At Tenacre, Jean started as a teacher, later became a parent and eventually became Chair of the Board of Trustees. She was extremely close with many of the school’s heads, including hosting one in her home while his residence was under repair, and is credited with having started the alumni program at the school. At the time of her passing she was still a Trustee Emeritus and was proud to have seen her daughters and two of her grandchildren graduate from the school.
Jean collected friends on every stop throughout her life and a steady stream of them have visited her in the past few weeks. She was still very close with many classmates from her days at Smith; she kept in touch with families who grew up with hers in Sherborn; she befriended people from across the country on Boca Grande; and some of her best friends shared the sand with her on Craigville Beach. She and George exchanged Christmas cards for decades with a doorman they met on a vacation and a doctor who treated her years ago became a member of the family. Aside from her family, these long-lasting relationships were what was of the utmost importance to Jean.
A private family burial will be held at the Mt. Auburn Cemetery with a memorial service to take place in the spring or summer. Gifts to Tenacre in Jean’s honor can be made by going to tenacrecds.org/support-tenacre and clicking on “Give Online:Jean Ferguson Fund” or by sending a check to Diane Lewis at Tenacre, 78 Benvenue St., Wellesley MA 02482. Gifts can also be made to the Boca Grande Health Clinic Foundation at bghcfoundation.com/donate-now/ or by sending a check to the Foundation at P.O. Box 2340, Boca Grande FL 33921.