- Date Of Birth: March 24, 1929
- Date Of Death: December 6, 2022
- State: Florida
Jean Shamroth, (Wright), 1929 -2022, departed from this world at the ripe age of 93, joining her husband and son and other family members in Heaven on Dec 6.
She passed at her residence surrounded by her daughter, son-in-law, her loving aide Darlene and her most special and devoted cat “Luke”.
Jean was born in Marblehead, Massachusetts in March 1929. She was a lively curious energetic youth, reputed for being stubborn. When her mind was made up there was no changing her course. This was one of her most defining traits, along with her determination and strength.
She was the 5th child in a family of 7 siblings. She grew up in Beverly, Massachusetts and graduated from Beverly High in 1946.
After her studies, she moved to New York City and became a runway and print model working for fashion houses, Christian Dior and posing for the famous Avedon brothers. Her face was also seen in many a Maybelline ad.
She met her husband “Al” Alfred Shamroth (“Shammy”), avid tennis player, businessman and they married in May of 1952. They had two children, Nancy and Alfred Jr. They lived in midtown Manhattan until 1993 when they moved to Florida.
Her early married years were filled with attending various major sporting events. Most specifically Raquet and Tennis tournaments, where the couple’s close friends were the famous Tennis greats of the time; Sidney Adelstein, Tony Vincent, Bobby Riggs, , Gussie Moran, Bill Talbert, Fred Stolle, just to name a few. Hockey playoffs and prestigious horse racing events were also a part of their world with, of course the ensuing NYC parties and supper clubs.
She was reputed to always be impeccably attired and turned many an eye with her beauty, sense of style and fun loving free spirit.
They were regulars at Rip Dolman’s Tennis courts on Sutton Place, where every ranked amateur and pro in the country would come to play when in NYC. This is where Jean could be seen sporting her first « bump » with her long flowing red flame hair.
She later studied business administration, systems and accounting and joined her husband in managing and growing his construction business. Through her exposure to her husband’s friends in the financial world, she became interested in investing. She developed prowess; first investing her own money, later her husband proudly turned over the family investments to her sole management.
In the 1960’s, her passion for art took over her priorities and she attended numerous NY Fine Arts classes. She became an accomplished artist, starting in landscape, still life oils, then moving on to more abstract interpretations. She evolved into acrylic abstract and geometric minimalism.
As hand tremors set in, Jean kept her deception and frustration to herself at not being able to precisely control her paint brush any more.
She found a new outlet to her creativity and turned to writing. She would write essays expressing her viewpoints on political matters, social-cultural questions and sensitive family tensions. She had a very easy style and conveyed emotional texture.
Through the couple’s ever present tennis world, she discovered and began playing Backgammon. Once again, she excelled playing many an evening at one of Prince Alexis Obolensky’s sponsored backgammon salons, in a private club in midtown Manhattan. She participated in and brought home a trophy cup from one of Prince Alexis Obolensky tournament junkets.
In 1993 the couple made the permanent move south away from the bitter NY cold. Living in Florida changed the way she approached life. No longer was she able on a spur of the moment to just go walk everywhere and easily find anything she wanted, as she was so accustomed to in “The City”. She also realized that the mindset of most members of her Gated community Tennis & Golf club did not mirror her expanded awareness and experiences; she then retreated to the comfort of her house.
She oversaw her husband’s care in his last years and preferred to stay focused on her immediate family when he passed in 1995.
After, her husband’s passing; she decided to travel to the exotic lands where her daughter had moved. This expedition became an annual treat for both Mother and Daughter; one year she invited her son to join the adventure.
In 2018, she moved to an assisted living facility in Lantana, Florida.
She made friends with a very personable gentleman and both of them conspired to introduce his handsome single son to her beautiful single daughter. They pulled off their “coup” in late 2018.
The magic took place and they married their respected adult children in February 2020. They proudly walked down the aisle in first a magnificent ceremony in Palm Beach and then in a second ceremony, two days later at their assisted living facility, with all the residents and staff participating.
A highlighted event forever etched in the resident’s memories and still talked about to this day.
Jean will always be remembered for her creativity, out-of the box thinking, her non-conformist spirit, her surprising physical strength (even at her age) not to mention her inner strength and force of character. And last but not least the biggest warmest smile.
She is survived by her sister Mollie, her daughter Nancy and her son-in-law Eric.
She will be so ever greatly missed.
We shall all be blessed by her memory.
