Lebanon, N.H. —
Jean and Chas, who died in 2005, raised their three boys, Ted, Pete (Charles, Jr.), and Bill in Dover, Mass., having moved there from Brookline in 1949 when Jean declared that she could not raise three boys in the city. Once in Dover, Jean became an avid gardener, growing and harvesting over an acre of vegetables. And she also became a well-known breeder of silver standard poodles. She imported the first ever silver standard from England, meeting that first silver poodle upon her arrival on the Queen Elizabeth on the docks of New York City. That dog, Priscilla, eventually become the first ever U.S. and Canadian silver standard champion. Chas eventually joined the growing poodle business and together they raised over 75 litters and sold their offspring to clients all over the United States and Canada.
After the boys grew up, Jean and Chas moved to Maine in 1989 to be near son Ted and his wife Mara where they and several poodles thrived on the Maine air and walks on Mackworth Island through the 1990’s. In 2002, they moved to Hanover, N.H., where son Bill and his family, Helene Rassias-Miles and son Matthew Miles, as well as Bill’s two older children, Bill jr. and Sarah, and their families all lived and took up senior residence at The Greens. Life at the Greens was wonderful – they made many friends, enjoyed the great staff and fine food as well as frequent visits from Bill and the extended Rassias and Miles families.
As the years passed following Chas’ death, Jean suffered a few falls and 2 years ago took up residence at Genesis Healthcare in Lebanon. The staff there was amazing, treating Jean often to her favorite rare burgers (brought in by Bill and Helene from EBAs) and coffee frozen yogurt.
Jean leaves behind Bill, Helene, and Matthew, and Bill’s two older children: Sarah and her husband Kevin McCurdy and their twins, Becket and Amelia and Bill, Jr. and his wife, Pam and their three children, Sophie, Carly and Zach; her other two sons, Pete of Bend, Oregon and his four children, Chris, Eddie, Lara, and Nicole and his wife, Alice; and son Ted and his wife Mara of Silver City, N.M. In addition to those three children and seven grandchildren, she leaves 15 great-grandchildren and numerous nephews, nieces, grandnephews and grandnieces.
As a true lover of all animals, especially dogs, Jean’s wish is that any donations be sent to the New Hampshire Society for the Protection of Animals at NHSPCA PO Box 196 Stratham, NH 03885.