Jean Holmes

Naugatuck, CT Jean Livermore Holmes, 94, passed peacefully on October 25, 2023 with her family by her side.

She was one of two children of Mabel and Waldo Livermore, raised on a dairy farm in Boxborough Massachusetts. Jean attended a one room schoolhouse in a town that, as she liked to say, had more cows than people. She met the love of her life – Alfred Holmes, while working at a summer job serving ice cream at Howard Johnson’s in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Their courtship continued when they both attended Burdett College in Boston. Jean and Al married in 1950 and grew their family by three children, finally settling in Naugatuck, CT in 1964.

Jean was deeply devoted to her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, and she spent countless hours providing care and joy to them all. She rarely missed an opportunity to be head cheerleader at their games, attend their concerts and stay with them while their parents were away. The children and grandchildren learned through her the passion for puzzles, cards and board games. She was also a very competitive Bridge player, never missed the daily crossword puzzle and was wonderful at Jeopardy until the end of her life.

She was known for her beautiful hand knitted Christmas stockings, making over 500 before she stopped. She started making them in 1952, the first for her son Scott.

Jean was a die-hard Red Sox fan and was beyond jubilant when they won the 2004 World Series. She was also an over-the-top UCONN Women’s Basketball fan and traveled the country supporting and cheering for them.

She and her late husband Al traveled to every continent and made many friends along the way. Jean worked as a bookkeeper for the Dumouchel Paper Company for almost 30 years.

Jean is predeceased by her brother, George Waldo Livermore and her husband Alfred Harlow Holmes. She also leaves her children, Kendall “Scott” Holmes and his wife, Elizabeth Lang-Holmes, her daughter Dana Holmes McAllister and her husband Wayne McAllister, her daughter Dianne Holmes Martin, who predeceased her, and her husband Christopher Martin. She was the loving grandmother of Jamie McAllister Broad, Caitlin McAllister Evangelista, Sean Martin, David Martin, Elizabeth Martin, Patrick Martin and Hannah Martin. She was the grateful great grandmother of Mya Evangelista, Addison, Ashton and Avery Broad, Noa and Tess Palmieri, Finn and Ash Martin, and her namesake Lily Jean Martin. She also leaves nieces, nephews and cousins whom she adored.

At Jean’s request, there will be no services or funeral. The family asks that in lieu of flowers donations be sent in Jean’s name to: The Epilepsy Foundation Connecticut, 386 Main St, Middletown, CT 06457. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Buckmiller Thurston Mengacci Funeral Home, 82 Fairview Avenue, Naugatuck, CT.