BURLINGTON — Jean Marie Young Duany, 98, passed away in the comfort of her apartment at South Harbor Facility in South Burlington, Vt., on June 11, 2022. She passed away after leading a very long life.

Jean was the second daughter born to Walter J. Young Sr. and Catherine O. Rivers Young on March 4, 1924. Her three siblings, Olive Ingargiola, Mary Lawlor and Walter Young Jr. all predeceased her, along with her husband of 61 years, Orlando Garcia Duany.

Mom spent her childhood years residing in Vergennes, Vt. When she reached high school she attended Mount Saint Mary’s Academy in Burlington, Vt., graduating in 1942. We always enjoyed hearing her stories about life with the nuns and her exploits at the academy. Upon high school graduation, she made the decision to join the Navy and became a WAVE. Despite it being World War II, she loved her time in the navy. She always encouraged her children to join the armed services, spouting off the many reasons why she loved it.

After her military service, she attended Interboro Institute in New York City, taking business classes. That’s when she met a very handsome and charming Cuban by the name of Orlando Garcia Duany. He swept her off her feet and they married in 1947 in Brooklyn, N.Y., where they lived for four years before moving to Vergennes. They lived in Vergennes until 1988.

From this union they had Michael (Natalie), Cathryn Butler (Stephen), Susan Butler (William) and Anne Duany Whyte (Mathew). Mom was able to stay home and keep a very tidy household while we were young.

At 38, she decided to get her driver’s license and join the workforce, where she was the Vergennes Elementary School hot lunch program bookkeeper for 26 years. This is where she took great pride in balancing her books daily and keeping a watchful eye on her children because now we were all on her schedule.

Once our parents reached retirement age, they became snowbirds and eventually residents of Zephryhills, Fla. They loved Florida and we loved visiting them with and without the grandkids in tow. After Dad’s passing in 2008, mom stayed in Zephyrhills for eight more years before finding her way back to Vermont to be closer to three of her four children. Our mother was always proud that she raised four college graduates and that we were all successful in our careers. Mom is survived by her children, 11 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Mom’s funeral will be Tuesday, June 21, at 1:30 p.m., at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Vergennes. She will be laid to rest with full military honors at St. Peter’s Catholic Cemetery after the service.◊