Jean E. McGurk

Jean E. McGurk
Cassville
Jean Elizabeth McGurk, 93, passed away peacefully at St. Josephs Nursing Home in Utica on October 24th, 2011, after a short battle with cancer. Jean was born in Cassville on April 19, 1918, the daughter of Edward Leo and Agnes Kehoe McGurk. She graduated from Sauquoit Valley High School and was a nearly life-long resident of the Sauquoit Valley. She lived and worked for many years on her parents farm on Marshall Road in Cassville. She also worked at St. Josephs Hospital in Syracuse and was employed by the Partlow Corporation in New Hartford for 17 years, retiring in 1980. In 2002, she moved into the General Winfield Scott Home in West Winfield and, in 2009, she became a resident at St. Josephs, where she was lovingly cared for by the staff there until the end of her life. Jean was an active member of St. Patricks Church in Clayville and was well-known to parishioners there for her many contributions to the parish. She took great pleasure in transporting other parishioners to and from church services and to other locations in the community. She was especially proud of the gladiolas that she lovingly raised at her home and which adorned the altars of St. Patricks for many years. Her work with the gladiolas was part of a life-long passion for gardening. She also enjoyed volunteer work and volunteered her time at St. Josephs long before becoming a resident there. For much of her life, Jean suffered from a speech impediment that caused her to stutter. One of her proudest achievements was the progress she made in conquering this impediment, which largely disappeared by her later years. She did this with the help of professionals at the Martin Hall School in Bristol, Rhode Island, at Ithaca College and at the College of St. Rose in Albany, and was always grateful for this assistance. Jean was predeceased by her parents and by a brother and sister-in-law, John and Nancy McGurk. She is survived by three nephews, Tim McGurk, of Mohawk, Dan McGurk, of Kirksville, Missouri, and Bill McGurk (Lisa Bancroft), of Seattle; a niece, Maria (William) Tschaar, of Clayville; a niece-in-law, Cora McGurk, of Clayville; and a sister-in-law, Katie Snyder, of Frankfort. She is also survived by her grandnephews, Tanner Michels, Joseph and Brendan McGurk, Cooper Tschaar and Andrew Millspaugh; a grandniece, Mei Zhu McGurk; and by several cousins. The family is grateful to St. Josephs Nursing Home for the kindness, compassion and wonderful care Jean received there and to the Rev. William Baker, the former Pastor of St. Patricks Church in Clayville, who was Jeans spiritual advisor for many years. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to St. Josephs. Jeans Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday morning, October 29th, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Nursing Home, 2535 Genesee St. Interment will be in St. Marys Cemetery, Clayville. There will be no calling hours. Arrangements are with the Smith Funeral Home, 3022 Oneida St., Sauquoit. www.smith-funeralhome.com