Jean Fuoco

Jean B. Fuoco of Lexington passed away peacefully in her sleep on January 23, 2025, two days before her 78th birthday.

Jean was born on January 25, 1947 to working class parents in Utica, New York. She was a voracious reader, a worshipper of books, a lover of music and live theatre, an Anglophile, a skilled needlepointer, a long-suffering Boston Red Sox fan, and a strong advocate for women's rights and reproductive justice.

Throughout her 40-year career as an English teacher in the Lexington Public Schools, she invited her students to join her in her constant wonder at the power of language, her love of a good plot twist, and her unflagging belief in the capacity of education to uplift and transform.

One of Jean's favorite books to teach was Harper Lee's complicated, imperfect novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. As Atticus Finch leaves the courtroom during his defense of wrongfully accused Tom Robinson, his young daughter is told, "Miss Jean Louise, stand up. Your father's passin'" - a show of respect and gratitude for her father's fearless, controversial work. If Jean, or any educator, has made you think, question, resist or engage, stand up so that they may see the impact of *their* fearless, controversial work.

Jean is survived by her daughter, Lee Fuoco of Lynn, her son, Mark Fuoco of Cambridge and her grandchildren, Tess and Declan Landry. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Jean's name to the National Network of Abortion Funds or The American Heart Association. Services will be announced at a later date.