Jean Cunningham Hermann

Jean Cunningham Rice Hermann, 92, of Fayetteville, North Carolina passed away peacefully on October 8, 2025, at Valley Hospice House.
Jean had a boundless curiosity and outgoing spirit that drew people to her wherever she went. Born on July 17, 1933, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, she grew up with a love of learning, music, sports, summer camps, and canoeing on her beloved Minnesota lakes. After graduating from the Northrop Collegiate School in 1950, she attended Vassar College and received her BA in English literature in 1954.
During her sophomore year at Vassar, she met John Hermann, a cadet at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York. They married in April 1954 and lived in Japan, where he was stationed after serving in the Korean War. There, they began a lifetime of adventures together – raising four children (Katherine, John, Robert, and Caroline), keeping a menagerie of dogs, cats, and horses, and moving every few years to military bases and overseas tours of duty in Mainz, Germany and Helsinki, Finland, where John was Defense Attaché.
Jean embraced her diplomatic life with enthusiasm and elegance. She loved Finnish culture, cross-country skiing and summer crawfish parties at lake houses filled with music and dancing. She hosted receptions, dinners, and gatherings where robust conversation and laughter flowed. Her gift for bringing people together transcended language and culture. She believed diplomacy began at the dinner table, with good food and wine.
Upon returning to the States, Jean earned a Master of Education. For over 20 years, she taught fourth grade at Holbrook School at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, where she inspired generations of students with a love of books, reading, writing, and "creative" science experiments. Her encouragement and belief in every child left a lasting impression on many of her students.
Jean's life was one of friendship, creativity, and service. A natural connector, she was deeply involved in her community – always the first to welcome a new member, organize a gathering, or volunteer for a good cause. She was an enthusiastic supporter of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, the Fayetteville Botanical Gardens, the Fayetteville Arts Council, local theater and independent film. She served as DAR First Vice Regent of the Col. Robert Rowan Chapter and was a board member for the Symphony, the Cumberland County Council on Older Adults, and was a Gray Lady in the Red Cross for 19 years. She cherished her time with friends on the golf course, with her bridge group and book club.
Jean was a devoted member of St. John's Episcopal Church, which became a cornerstone of her life. For years, she had been searching for a spiritual community. After attending her first service at St. John's, she said, "I knew I was home. Finally, I am making time for what should have been first all along." In 2007, she completed four years of EFM (Education for Ministry) with the Episcopal Church. She served three terms on the Vestry, and was a Eucharistic lay minister, treasurer, liaison to the preschool, and was committed to volunteer outreach.
A celebration of Jean's life will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 25, 2025, at St. John's Episcopal Church. A reception in the Kyle house will follow.
The Hermann family expresses their profound gratitude for the loving care and support provided by Jean's caregivers – Sherlyn Cannon, Melissa Hulon, and Jessica Frye – the doctors and nurses at Cape Fear Valley Hospital and Cancer Center, and the nurses and NODA volunteers at Valley Hospice House.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St John's Episcopal Church or the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra.
Services entrusted to Jernigan-Warren Funeral Home, 545 Ramsey St., Fayetteville, NC 28301
Online condolences may be sent to http://www.jerniganwarren.com
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