TEWKSBURY: Jean F. (Tucker) Leighton, age 83, a resident of Tewksbury for over 50 years, passed away on Sunday, April 4, 2010 at Saints Medical Center in Lowell.
She was the beloved wife of Richard C. Leighton, with whom she celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary on December 23, 2009.
Born in Lynn on February 23, 1927, she was the daughter of the late Albert and Gertrude (Johnson) Tucker.
Mrs. Leighton was raised in Lynn and graduated from Lynn English High School.
Prior to her retirement, she was employed as the cafeteria manager at the Heath Brook School in Tewksbury. In earlier years, she worked for the B&M Railroad Company and the Lawrence Leather Company.
Jean was an active member of the Tewksbury Congregational Church, where she served as treasurer of the Ladies Aid & Friendly Guild, was a member of the Choir and served as a Life Deacon.
In addition, she was an active member of the Tewksbury Inter-Faith Choir. Jean traveled to England with the Tewksbury Inter-Faith Choir, where she and other choir members sang at the Noon time services at the Westminster Abbey.
Mrs. Leighton enjoyed knitting fisherman sweaters, crochet and traveling with her husband.
In addition to her husband , she is survived by one son, Peter R. Leighton and his wife Deborah of Coventry, RI; two daughters, Karen Schena and her husband James of Cape May, NJ and Nancy Matthews of Richmond, VA; four grandchildren, Peter R. Leighton, Jr., Kristian Schena, Katherine Dowd and her husband Michael, and Alexandria Leighton; two great grandchildren, Michael and Colin Dowd; also many nieces and nephews.
Calling hours Wednesday, April 7th, from 4-8 p.m., at the Farmer & Dee Funeral Home, 16 Lee St., Tewksbury. Funeral services Thursday, April 8th, at 10 a.m., in the Tewksbury Congregational Church, 10 East St., Tewksbury Center. Following cremation, interment will be held at Greenlawn Cemetery, Salem. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jean's memory may be made to the Tewksbury Congregational Church, 10 East St., Tewksbury, MA 01876.