Jean Seeler-Gifford, 85, of Middlebury

MIDDLEBURY — Jean Seeler-Gifford passed away peacefully at Helen Porter Rehabilitation and Nursing of Porter Medical Center in Middlebury, Vt., on Aug. 9, 2024, at the age of 85.

Born Sept. 29, 1938, in New York City, she was the daughter of Thomas D. and Olivia G. Seeler. Growing up in Ardsley, N.Y., she attended the public schools there before graduating from Cathedral School of St. Mary in Garden City, N.Y. She matriculated at Middlebury College in 1956, where she majored in Political Science, played basketball and field hockey, and was a member of the Dance Club and Drama Club.

After college she began working at IBM and as she said, “What started out as just a job evolved into a career.” She became an associate programmer, worked in marketing support to the airlines industry, became a staff systems analyst, then a senior systems analyst, and was paid to “play with personal computers,” she said. An enthusiastic traveler, she was happy when IBM sent her to Paris and Milan in 1985 to present her programs to IBM groups.

At age 55, Jean retired from IBM as part of senior market support, sold her house in Armonk, N.Y., and moved to Florida, where she bought a house in Oldsmar, joined a tennis club, and became involved in various organizations. After running a personal ad in the St. Petersburg Times, she met Dave Gifford in the late 1990s. Together they traveled all over the world and took numerous bike trips and cruises. They were married on St. Patrick’s Day in 2005. Sadly, she lost Dave to cancer in May of 2012.

From the day she graduated, Jean was a loyal Middlebury alumna, who volunteered her time over and over again for Middlebury activities and also gave generously to the College coffers, including a gift to the arts which resulted in the renaming of the Black Box Theatre at the Mahaney Arts Center to Seeler Studio Theatre. She often took on roles at Reunion time, serving as a social chair or yearbook editor or as a gift committee member.

At her 30th Reunion, classmate Vcevy Strekalovsky, recognizing her dedication, took her for a canoe paddle on the Otter Creek and persuaded her to become the class secretary for 1960, collecting news for the class notes. (He always claimed that rumors saying he threatened to make her swim back to shore if she said no were greatly exaggerated.) She took on the job with her usual organization and thoughtfulness and served for 30 years, not only keeping her classmates connected to their alma mater but also sharing her wisdom on how best to do that at numerous Alumni Leadership Conference class secretary workshops.

She also established the Outstanding Class Secretary (later Class Correspondent) Award to be given each year to a correspondent or two who excelled in the role. For all her contributions to the college and efforts on behalf of the institution, Middlebury awarded her with the 2010 Alumni Plaque. Her love for her alma mater extended to her creative endeavors, as well, and she knitted several sweaters with iconic Middlebury images, like Old Chapel, on the front.

Jean returned to live in Middlebury after Dave’s death in 2012 and very soon became involved in the community. She exhibited her love of music and the arts by enjoying concerts, plays, comedy shows, and musicals at Town Hall Theater and was excited about the current theater expansion project. She attended Opera Company of Middlebury’s productions from October 2012 through June 2024, usually “adopting” singers (sometimes the whole cast!), watching rehearsals, and going to performances whenever possible. She was in “her seat” for every Barn Opera event in nearby Brandon from its inception in 2017, even casting a vote as a member of the board of directors to approve the 2025 season a week before her passing. She had been instrumental in the purchase and renovation of the Barn Opera House.

Over the last decade, Jean generously supported these arts organizations that she treasured. She continued to love travel (including countless Road Scholar trips and cruises as well as annual Town Hall Theater tours to London, Paris, Berlin, and Vienna), biking, her cat Lucy, and a good glass of Chardonnay.

Almost immediately after moving to Middlebury, Jean also became a fixture of the Middlebury field hockey team and could be spotted on the sideline at every home game. As a Middlebury field hockey alumna, Jean was heavily involved in team events and affairs for over a decade, impacting every player and member of the coaching staff immeasurably. Jean’s love of travel kept her on the move with the team, traveling to Holland and Ireland for training trips in 2016 and 2019. On those excursions, Jean served as the team travel guide and chief historian from city to city. As Coach Katharine DeLorenzo states, “Middlebury field hockey is indebted to Jean for her presence in our community and her unwavering support of the coaching staff and players year after year. We miss her and know she will always be a part of our big Middlebury Blue thing.” ◊