Jeanne Caswell Clampitt died peacefully on December 21, 2018 with her youngest sister at her side and after a very brief illness.

Jeanne was born January 31, 1926 in Winchester MA to Olive and Frederick H. Caswell. She grew up in Newtonville MA, where she graduated from Newton High School in 1942 and went on to Smith College, majoring in music and graduating in 1946.

After college, Jeanne taught kindergarten in Milton MA until 1949 when she married Lawrence Clampitt. Initially, Jeanne and Larry lived in Needham MA and had three sons there. In 1958 they moved to Wayland MA and had a daughter in 1962. Upon Larry’s retirement in 1988, Jeanne and Larry built a home in Brunswick. They loved Maine, as they summered each year in Christmas Cove from 1964. Their final move was to their apartment at Thornton Oaks in Brunswick, where they enjoyed the friendly community atmosphere of independent living.

Jeanne continued her interest in music throughout her life, including leading junior choirs, teaching piano to neighborhood children, singing and playing in church choirs and performing four-hand piano concerts. She also chaired a committee supporting the Boston Symphony. In Brunswick, she joined the choir of the First Parish Church, became a member of the Portland String Quartet Society, and the Friends of the DaPonte String Quartet and Midcoast Symphony Orchestra. She formed a piano duo and the Southwick Piano Trio which performed for Thornton Oaks friends.

Jeanne and Larry began volunteer activities in Wayland with Experiment in International Living (now called World Learning). They hosted many students from abroad, several becoming lifelong family friends. They co-chaired the Bowdoin Host Family Program for nine years and served on the Association of Bowdoin Friends Steering Committee as representatives of the program.  Other volunteer activities included Habitat for Humanity, Midcoast Hospital Café, and the First Parish Church Planned Giving Committee. Jeanne was Chair of the Smith College Club of Maine’s Scholarship Fund and President of the regional Club for many years. She also served two terms as Secretary of Smith’s Class of 1946.

Jeanne enjoyed sailing the Maine coast with her husband, traveling internationally, studying French, art and painting, tennis, gardening and bird watching, but especially playing piano with friends. She also was a top-notch knitter and baker.

Jeanne was predeceased by her husband of 67 years and a sister, Mary Olive Eynon. She is survived by sons David Lawrence and wife Cynthia of New Haven CT, Peter Frederick of Golden CO, Richard Tower and wife Rachel of San Diego CA, and daughter Martha Caswell Merrill and husband John of Waterford CT; by three grandchildren, Sebastian Caswell Merrill, Laura Caswell Clampitt and Jaime Ryan Clampitt; and by two sisters, Patricia Caswell Dey of Scarborough ME and Carolyn Caswell Haynes of Brunswick ME.

A memorial service will be held at the First Parish Church in Brunswick on February 2 at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers please consider contributions to the Brunswick First Parish Music Fund, the DaPonte String Quartet, or the Portland String Quartet.

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