Jean (Kerns) Dugolinsky Larison

Jean Kerns Dugolinsky Larison passed away the morning of September 23, 2022.  She died in her sleep, peacefully and at The Longview Assisted Living Facility in Ithaca, New York.  She was 100 years old.

Jean was born in 1922 in Van Etten, New York, the daughter of Neil Kerns and Norma Maggart Kerns.  Her mother died when she was very young with the result that she was raised by her father and her maternal grandmother, Della Reed Maggart Blake.  Jean graduated from Van Etten High School and progressed from there to attending Geneseo State Teachers College for two years.  She completed her education later in life graduating with a bachelor’s degree from Cortland State Teachers College.

Jean married Max Dugolinsky, Jr.  with whom she had two sons, Garth Dugolinsky who now lives in Bracey Virginia and Brent Dugolinsky currently residing in Hector, New York.  After more than 25 years of marriage, Jean and Max divorced with the result that she re-settled in Rosewood Ohio and married Glen Larison.  Jean loved children and immediately treated Glen’s children and grandchildren as her own.  She would like it acknowledged that she treated her Dugolinsky children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and her Larison children, grandchildren and great grandchildren all the same.  She loved and was proud of them all and considered them all her family.

Jean’s love for children resulted in her teaching elementary school for over 35 years in both the New York and Ohio school systems.  After she retired, she volunteered as a non-paid teacher’s aid in Ovid, New York.

She also read avidly and loved books.  She was a member of the local library wherever she moved.  Jean volunteered at the Ovid Library and was known as the cookie lady by one of the school groups that met there for one of the after-school reading programs.  She obviously made cookies for the group.

Jean was predeceased by her parents, Neil and Norma Kerns, her brothers, Hugh, Neil Jr. and Harold, her sister Nancy and her husbands Max Dugolinsky and Glen Larison.  She is survived by her sister Linda Stuhmeier, her sons, Garth and Brent Dugolinsky, Glen’s children, Michael Larison, Leslie Stackhouse and David Larison and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren on both the Dugolinsky and Larison sides of her family.

Funeral arrangements will be private.  Kindly consider a donation to the Saint Jude Children’s Hospital in lieu of flowers. 

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