Lydia Jean Randall

Lydia Jean Randall

March 20, 1930 - May 12, 2018
Mission Viejo CA

Lydia Jean Randall

March 20, 1930 - May 12, 2018
Mission Viejo CA

Obituary

Jean Randall was born Lydia Jean Wendt in Berlin, Germany in 1930. Her parents brought her back to the States in 1931 and she was happily raised in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. A bright and beautiful city girl through and through, her love of fashion was always apparent in her ever stylish manner of dressing and she often said that had she been born in a different era, she would have pursued a career in fashion at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC. She instead earned a teaching degree at Hunter College and her gift for teaching was evident throughout her life. She was always encouraging to anyone who had a desire to learn and achieve more with their lives, and wasespecially kind to those who started with less advantages.

In 1954, Jean married Charles Randall, an engineer and Korean War vet and together they had three wonderful and talented children: Barbara (Bobbi), Kenneth Charles (KC), and Paul John. Charlie’s career brought them to Western Massachusetts where he worked as a Mathematics professor at UMass Amherst and together they raised their family. Jean and Charlie took many memorable trips to Europe together, including 2 trips back to Germany, where they had the opportunity to visit with Jean’s relatives. Jean eventually returned to school at age 46, earning a Masters’ Degree in Library Science and worked at Jones Library. After earning her Masters’ Degree, she became the Director of Granby Library, achieving the distinction of writing and winning the first grant in the state of Massachusetts for a computer specifically for library customer use. Jean made many dear and lifelong friends along the way. After Charlie passed in 1988, she returned to Brooklyn and, in 1990, at the age of 60, started a new career as Director of Information Services at Moody’s Investor Service in Manhattan. Jean retired from Moody’s at the age of 70.

Upon retirement, she moved to Westchester County, NY, where she became part of a close knit and fun loving community at  St. John’s Lutheran Church. She sang in the choir and travelled, extensively, both at home and abroad. She continued to enjoy opera, dance, and theater, even acting in some amateur productions. Her rendition of Marlene Dietrich’s “Falling in Love Again” was always a hit – garters and all.

She had a magic touch with animals and adored dogs, especially her beloved companion of her later years, Cesare, whom she trained to respond to over 200 words. With Cesare in the passenger seat, she would drive around visiting friends and enjoying life, always up for trying new things and seeing new places. She saw life as an adventure, to be accompanied by a good margarita!

She is survived by her three loving children – Bobbi, KC, and Paul – who will miss her dearly, as will her two daughters-in-law Kathy and Kathleen, and her son-in-law Steve. She touched many lives and will be remembered with love by friends and family.

For flowers for the service, please contact the Michael Ahearn Funeral Home at www.ahearnfuneralhome.com

 

Visitation

  • Date & Time: May 24, 2018 (3:00 PM - 7:30 PM)
  • Venue: Ahearn Funeral Home
  • Location: 783 Bridge Road Northampton, MA 1060 - (Get Directions)

Funeral Service

  • Date & Time: May 25, 2018 (12:00 PM)
  • Venue: Immanuel Lutheran Church
  • Location: 867 North Pleasant Street Amherst, MA 1002 - (Get Directions)

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7 responses to Lydia Jean Randall

  1. when I visited California last year, especially to meet Jean, I had a wonderful time with Jean, Bobbi and Steve, my american relatives.
    To meet them was a gift and I am very greatful to spend time with Jean.. She was an extraordinary woman.
    Thank you and all our love Jutta, Birgit, Ronald, Herbert

  2. “Mommy Jean” will always be my role model. She truly knew how to live life fully. Her kindness, her laughter, her positive energy, and her wise, encouraging words are a rich legacy that she has given to all that knew her. She is greatly missed, but remains always in our hearts. My love and condolences to the whole family.

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