SANTELMANN, Jean H. Age 94, longtime resident of Lexington, MA, died on Nov. 10, 2022, at Brooksby Village in Peabody, MA. She is predeceased by her husband, William F. Jr., and her son, Stuart. She is survived by daughter, Elaine and her partner Tom Zuppa of Littleton, MA; son, William Scott and his husband Richard O'Connell of Harwich, MA; daughter, Beth Ziegler and her husband John of New London, NH; and daughter-in-law, Leslie Minassian of Milford, NH. She was a loving grandmother to nine grandchildren; William Alex Ogle, Abbi Courtemanche, Annalise Taber, Molly Ziegler, Corey Santelmann, Emma Santelmann, Richard White, Andrew White, and Ella Ziegler; and four great-grandchildren, Olive Courtemanche, Genevieve Ogle, Boden Courtemanche, and Lucas Taber.  She is also survived by two brothers; John Hunter of Roswell, GA and Harold Hunter of Amissville, VA.

Jean was born and raised in Belmont, MA. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education from Massachusetts College of Art in 1950. Her first teaching position was at Belmont Day School. In 1962 she co-founded the Methodist Weekday School in Lexington and was a strong advocate of early childhood education throughout her adult life. Once her four children were of school age, she started a career as an elementary art teacher for Walpole Public Schools, where she inspired countless children to appreciate and create works of art until she retired in 1986. In retirement, she focused on her passions: world travel, playing bridge with friends, nurturing her large extended family, and finding every delicious morsel in a boiled lobster. She and her husband Bill were active members of the Lexington United Methodist Church, where they both focused on outreach and issues of social justice. In 2006 Jean and Bill moved to Brooksby Village, where they enjoyed the community of friends and excellent care in their later years.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, November 27, at 2 p.m., at The Brooksby Chapel, 300 Brooksby Village Drive, Peabody, MA.