Jean Sibson Sangster passed peacefully at her home in Sandwich, Massachusetts on July 16, 2018 after a courageous battle with cancer. Born in Framingham, Massachusetts, during her early childhood she and her family moved from Ashland, Massachusetts to Sandwich and into the home to which she returned in recent years.
Jean treasured her endless childhood memories of summers at Camp Wulamat on Newfound Lake in Bristol, New Hampshire with her family and many wonderful friends. She especially enjoyed the weekly camp dances (including the hokey pokey) and the view of the mountains across the lake from the beach. During winters as a child, she and her family gathered with friends to ski on the weekends, and she held dear her memories of leaving Friday night basketball games to head north for the weekend. Jean was an accomplished three sport athlete, playing field hockey, basketball and softball, and she also enjoyed acting in musicals throughout high school and college. She graduated from Sandwich High School in 1974 and received a degree in Physical Education from Plymouth State College in 1978. Early in her education career, she taught physical education at Mashpee Middle School, and eventually Mashpee High School, before enrolling in Salem State College and earning her Master’s Degree in Education in 1996. From there, she held various assistant principal positions, including Sandwich High School, Clinton High School, North Kingston High School, and ended her career in education as a teacher at Berkeley Middle School. Jean was loved endlessly by many and her compassion, sense of humor, cheering on the sidelines (and off the sidelines), and much more will be incredibly missed. Though our hearts are broken, we will cherish all of our memories of her, and her love will live on.
Jean is pre-deceased by her beloved parents, James and Loretta Sibson, and grandson, Charles “CJ” Bess. She is survived by many who adored her and will miss her dearly, especially her three children, Jaime Hoctor, husband Shane Hoctor and children, Finnegan and Carly of Sandwich, Massachusetts, son Charles Bess, Kaitlynn Flanagan and children Kaiden, Lyam and Connor Bess also of Sandwich, and son John Bess of Pacifica, California; her husband, William Sangster, and his children, Traci Sangster-Roethel, husband Gunthar and their children Kirsten, Hailey and Tyler of Northport, New York, and Rebecca Jahroumi, husband Allen, and their children Jade, Vail and Watson of San Clemente, California; and her sister, Joyce Sibson Dove (James) of Tallahassee, Florida, niece Meghan Boudreau Daigle also of Tallahassee, and nephew Robert Boudreau of Mamaroneck, New York.
Visiting hours will be held on Thursday, July 19th from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at Nickerson-Bourne Funeral Home, 154 Route 6A, Sandwich. A funeral Mass will take place on Friday, July 20th, 11:00 a.m. at Corpus Christi Parish, 324 Quaker Meeting House Rd, East Sandwich, with burial services to follow at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne.
Flowers or donations to VNA of Cape Cod Hospice in memory of Jean are gratefully accepted.
