Obituary
Jean Burr Palfrey, 81, recently of Elan Spanish Springs and long-time resident of the Village of Springdale, peacefully passed from this life on September 18, 2017, while surrounded by her family.
Jean was born on June 8, 1936 in New Britain, Connecticut, daughter of the late Elmer L. and Christine Z. Burr. She grew up in Connecticut and graduated from Old Saybrook High School in 1954. Jean worked as a telephone operator before meeting and marrying Kennard M. Palfrey Jr., a cadet at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT in 1958.
Jean was a devoted wife and mother to her two daughters, Kim and Keryn. She was also a very accomplished watercolor artist and a member of the Watercolor Society of Oregon. Jean loved creating beautiful works of art and painting the colorful world around her. She also enjoyed ballroom dancing, traveling, bowling, reading and playing games. When her girls were young, Jean served as a Girl Scout leader.
Over her husband’s long military career, Jean moved her family around the country and kept the home fires burning, first in Portsmouth, NH, then Cleveland, OH, Seattle, WA, Silver Spring, MD, New York City, Springfield, VA, and Cape Cod, MA. After Coast Guard retirement in 1981, Jean and Ken settled in Seal Rock, OR, where Jean pursued her art career full time and was involved in many community activities. After being widowed in 2000, Jean made a courageous cross-country trek to create a new life for herself in The Villages, where she eventually met her devoted companion, Aldo Tambini.
Jean is survived by her two daughters and their families, Kim Wood and husband Richard of Dumfries, VA, and Keryn Newman and husband Phil of Shepherdstown, WV, and grandchildren Richard Wood, III, of Stafford, VA, Melissa Newman of Westminster, CO, Jake Newman of Orlando, FL and step-grandson Tyler Newman and family of Waynesboro, PA. She is also survived by her long-time companion Aldo Tambini of The Villages and his daughter, Linda, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 42 years, Kennard M. Palfrey, Jr., and her parents, Elmer and Christine Burr, along with two sisters, Marge Hedwall and Ruth Gunterman, and three brothers, Bud Burr, Edwin Burr and Christian Burr.
A celebration of Jean’s life will be held on Friday, September 22 at 2:00 p.m. at the Savannah Center, 1575 Buena Vista Boulevard, The Villages.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you remember Jean through donations to the American Kidney Fund, which provides financial assistance to dialysis patients who need help paying for their life sustaining treatments. Friends may donate online at kidneyfund.org, with notification to JeanPalfreyMemorial@gmail.com.
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