Jean M. Harper

Our beloved Jean Marilyn Harper (née Swanson), 94, of Norwalk, passed away peacefully on 12/17/21, with loving family by her side. She was born to parents Bernice V Holmes and Carl G Swanson on 12/19/1926 in Rochester, NY.

She graduated from John Marshall High School, Rochester in 1944. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Education at SUNY Geneseo in 1949 and later earned a Sixth Year Diploma from the University of Bridgeport in 1965.

Jean loved her 30 year career as educator, especially teaching Sixth Graders. She retired from South School, New Canaan in 1988.

Jean was determined to travel, and after graduating, she taught in a different place each year : upstate New York; San Diego; Hawaii; Yokohama, Japan; and then Long Island. She retained her love of travel all her life. In 1968, her family spent the year in Japan, and she later travelled around the world twice, along with many other trips.

After she retired, she became a portrait photographer, concentrating on children. She exhibited her black and white photographs several times, including at the Waveny Carriage House where her work received an award. She was a long-time member of the UCC, most recently the First Congregational Church of Darien. Previously, she was a long-time member of the West Norwalk United Congregational Church, where she served as Deacon and Director of Christian Education.

Jean’s first husband, Morris Gall, was also an educator. They married in 1954 at Niagara Falls in Buffalo, and were married for 45 years until Morris died. In 2006, she married Reverend Zan Harper and they remained together until he died.

Jean, who taught her family, friends, and students that “laughter is proper”, is survived by her son, Douglas J Gall and his wife Roxanne P Gall, her daughter, Carol J Brown, her grandson, Kyle Brown and his wife Amandine Raghavji, and her two granddaughters, Kelly Jean Brown, April Melissa Gall, and four great-grand children. She loved her family, friends, God, and life, which she greatly enjoyed.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Open Door Shelter, NY Neediest Cases, Habitat for Humanity, Hour of Power, and the First Congregational Church of Darien.