Jean E. Jackson

READING — Jean E. Jackson, 82, died Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009 at the Sawtelle Family Hospice House, Reading, following a long illness.

She leaves her two daughters, Jean E. Fleming (Keith) of Stockbridge, Ga., and Kathleen E. Hepburn (Kevin Becker) of Medford; and three sons, James M. Hepburn (Bonnie Caseley) of Braintree, Bramwell H. Hepburn (Cristina Guerra) of Eliot, Maine, and Bradley J. S. Hepburn of London, England. Also brothers, George F. Jackson of Trenton, Ohio, and Robert J. Jackson of Colorado Springs, Colo.; and sisters, Gladys Brown of North Weymouth, and Dorothy Wiberg of Wilmington; dearly loved 11 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews; and many close friends.

Born and raised in Cambridge, the daughter of Edith Ellen ("Nellie") Yates and George Willie Jackson of England, she was a longtime resident of South Weymouth, Hanover and Newburyport; as well as living a number of years in Nashua and Dover, N.H., and Reading. She graduated from Cambridge High and Latin School and was married to James H. Hepburn from 1947 to 1988.

Jean was an accomplished vocalist and pianist and active in a number of musical groups over the years including the Cambridge and Boston Central Salvation Army Songsters, The Duxbury Bay Players, and The Nashua Choral Society, and was a regular featured soloist on The Saturday Show, WBET Brockton Radio.

She held administrative and secretarial positions at Weather Services International, Fireman's Fund Insurance and Sigma Instruments. Her community involvement included serving on the Edward B. Nevin School PTA, the South Shore Council of Camp Fire Girls and the Newburyport Salvation Army Advisory Board.

In the 1960s, Jean and her husband developed a stained glass hobbyist mail-order business, Whittemore Durgin Glass Co. of Rockland, which is currently owned and operated by their daughter Kathleen and her husband Kevin Becker. Through the business, Jean took a keen interest in antique glass jewelry and developed a specialist activity of buying, appraising and trading in Victorian/Edwardian glass buttons and hatpins, amassing one of the largest collections in the country.

Chronic illness curtailed Jean's professional careers, but she remained very active in her local community and continued to pursue her interests in travel, photography, gardening and music.

During the past year she was a member of the Joy Sunday School class, and a much-loved member of Jodeco Baptist Church of Stockbridge, Ga., before recently returning to Massachusetts.

ARRANGEMENTS: The family will receive friends and relatives Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Barile Family Funeral Home, 482 Main St., Stoneham, with a funeral service to be held at 4 p.m. A reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Sawtelle Family Hospice House, c/o VNA of Middlesex-East & Visiting Nurse Hospice, 607 North Ave., Suite 17, Wakefield, MA 01880. For directions or to send a memorial condolence www.barilefuneral.com.