Jean Gunn Lokensgard

LOKENSGARD, Jean Gunn Of Arlington, June 11, 2011, age 70. Daughter of the late Edwin and Marion Gunn, wife of Alan and mother of Kari (Bosco) of Arlington and Mark and his wife Cristiane of San Antonio, TX, grandmother of Mariana and Jonas. Her brother Jonathan predeceased her. She is survived by a sister, Elizabeth Sonnenschein (Hugo) of Chicago, 5 nieces, 5 grandnieces and 3 grand- nephews. She received her training in physical therapy at Simmons College and later earned a Masters degree (with honors) at Boston University. Her first job was at the Rehabilitation institute in Chicago, where she saved her money so she could take a trip to Europe with 2 friends. She then worked at the Mass General Hospftal. After Kari was born, she worked part-time at a nursing home just around the corner in No. Cambridge. When Kari and Mark were of schoo[ age, she talked to the Cambridge School Dept. about implementing the recently enacted Chapter 766. She built the department over 27 years of service. Her greatest regret was not that Alzheimer's meant she couldn't work any more; it was that she no longer had contact with all "her kids." She was very active physically, playing tennis with the "Slice Girls" and playing flute in the Arlington Philharmonic after a few years singing in the Cecilia Society. She was one of the first Americans to take up XC skiing and kayaking. She loved traveling and especially camping when the kids were young. She and Alan toured Norway with Alan's father and brother, then took a detour to St. Petersburg in Russia. Later they toured Brazil via air with son Mark and then Turkey with a group from church, Their last trip together was to Hawaii. Earlier she and a colleague had gone to Haiti for a 3-week stint as physical therapist volunteers. One of her most satisfying activities was participating in a women's collaborative art group, whose most public output was a set of 4 Advent hangings for their church. A memorial service is planned for some time after mid-July. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to the Alzheimers Foundation, 322 Eighth Ave, 7th flr, NYC, NY 10001, or to University Lutheran Church, 66 Winthrop St., Cambridge 02138.