Caroline Jans

Caroline Jans of Eastham and Orleans passed peacefully on May 21, 2019. Through and through, Caroline embraced her dreams and manifested a life filled with travel, adventure, friends and family whom she enjoyed and deeply loved. She remained high-energy and free-spirited, celebrating on a grand scale, while noticing and appreciating lifes simple pleasures. Caroline was born in Wetumpka, Alabama. The familys fortune shifted due to the Depression, so they moved North, settling in Brookline. Caroline graduated from Pierce School, Brookline High, and Lasell College. She enjoyed her youth socializing, dancing, and playing tennis. Caroline often attended live music and mingled with Buddy Rich, Glen Miller, Vaughn Munroe, Fats Domino, Gene Krupa, and piano side with Ella Fitzgerald. One of her favorite music spots was The Totem Pole on the Charles River, where many of the Big Bands played. Summers were spent with family and friends in Kenburma, Hull, enjoying days and nights on the beach, barbeques, tennis with the Kennedys, and Paragon Park. Caroline met her beloved husband of 70 years, Edward, while working in the MIT Store. They married and lived off campus, then lived in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Germany, finally settling on Cape Cod. These family travels ignited Carolines sense of adventure and wanderlust. Caroline ventur- ed to places most would not think to tread: China, Russia, Morocco, Egypt, Holland, Romania, Yugoslavia, Turkey, France, Italy, Greece, to name a few. The walls and shelves of her home were filled with paintings and treasures gathered from her travels. Yet, her greatest joy was derived from time with close friends, and daughters Carol Lee, Candace and Christina, grandchildren Caroline, Victoria, Adam and Evan, great grandchildren Nico and Geo, her sisters Martha and Lee, in-laws, and many cousins, nieces and nephews. Those who knew Caroline appreciated her love of coffee and chocolate, her voracious appetitie for reading and visiting museums. Caroline was predeceased by her husband, H. Edward Jans, daughter Carol Lee, sister Lee Stanley and brother-in-law Gordon Stanley, sister-in-law Marion and her husband Chester B Lee. Carolines Memorial Mass in her Celebration is schedule at Holy Redeemer Church in Chatham on Friday November 8 at 11:00am. A gathering to be announced will follow.