Jean P. Morrison

Jean was born in Salem, on July 25, 1928 to the late Catherine (Maguire) and Earl F. Gray.

Raised in Lynn, Jean attended Aborn Elementary, Eastern Junior High, and Lynn English High School, Class of 1947. She graduated from the Chandler School of Business prior to working at AC Lawrence Leather in Peabody. Once married, Jean worked as a Secretary at Sears Roebuck Collections in Lynn.

Jean and Francis married in 1951, they started their family in Connecticut before making their permanent home in the Fay Estate. Jean was a devoted housewife and a loving mother of four, a Girl Scout troop leader, an admired gardener. A devout woman, Jean was an active parishioner of St. Pius V Parish, and a member of the sodality.

A true matriarch, Jean’s greatest joy was her family. She was happiest when gathering with her large family and holding babies! Jean adored her backyard; she could be found tending her gorgeous garden, listening to the Red Sox, singing songs, and hosting gatherings. Jean choreographed synchronized swimming routines, judged cannon ball contests, and beamed with pride at the set of many Grandparent Appreciation Plays. Jean’s favorite pastimes included daily crosswords and nightly Jeopardy, knitting, puzzles, line dancing, Pogo and Gin Rummy. Independent and strong, she could be found pruning her garden and crawling on the floor playing with great-grandchildren well into her nineties.

A nostalgic historian, Jean beautifully catalogued a lifetime of memories captured by her husband’s photographs: pool days, ball games, sacraments, birthdays and holidays. She surrounded herself with mementos from those dearest to her; the computer room was wallpapered with her family’s art, photographs, cards, and coloring pages.

Jean and Franny shared many decades of happiness with Jean’s cherished cousins: the Corea, Hickey, and Pesky families. Generations benefited from their friendship and traditions, particularly card games, Easter egg hunts, and pool parties.

If you’re a friend of a Morrison, you were a friend to Jean. A gracious hostess, she welcomed friends of family into her home, usually for a swim. She’d inquire about her guests, make a genuine connection with them, and remember details of their lives for years to come.

Jean’s family is comforted knowing that she will be reunited in Heaven with her dear husband, Francis, who preceded her in death in 2009. She is also preceded in death by her brother “Bud” Earl F. Gray, Jr., her grandson, Christopher Sponik, and son-in-law, Paul Gardas.

Jean will be dearly missed and affectionately remembered by her four children: MaryJane Maher and her partner, William Ford of Swampscott, John P. Morrison and his wife Natalie of Beverly, James M. Morrison and his wife Karen of Kanata Ontario, Canada, Elizabeth G. Gardas of Lynn. Jean is survived by her 10 grandchildren: Stacie Gardas, Molly and her husband Nate Plant, Katherine and her husband Nicholas Barney, Danny Maher, Kelly Morrison, Matthew Morrison and his wife Elizabeth, Taylor Morrison, Stephanie and her husband Ian Canty, Chelsea Morrison, Benjamin Morrison, and nine great-grandchildren: Joshua, Maddie, William, Jack, Reagan, Francis Jean, Margaret, Ryan, and Connell. Jean is also survived by several nieces and nephews, sister-in-law Nancy Gray, former son-in-law Dan Maher, and former daughter-in-law Joyce Prophet Morrison.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday December 21, 2021 at Saint Pius V Church at 10am. Please Meet directly at Church. Interment is at Puritan Lawn Memorial Park, Peabody. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Saint Pius Church 215 Maple St. Lynn Ma 01904 Attn: Choir.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.cuffemcginn.com for the Morrison family.