A lifelong teacher who devoted her career and later life to educating the young people of Stevenage, Hitchin and Hatfield has sadly passed away.
83–year–old Jean Young, who taught pupils at St. Angela’s, Marriotts School, Bishop Hatfield Girls’ School and YoungEducation, passed peacefully at home, surrounded by her beloved daughter, grandson and two cats on April, 24.
Her family say Jean will be remembered as a dedicated and passionate educator, who worked with thousands of young people across the North Hertfordshire area.
Born in London in 1936, Jean would often tell her family stories of growing up in London during World War Two.
As a young girl, she was an avid reader and spent much of her childhood with her nose buried in books.
Jean’s passion for reading led to her hours at her local library being limited, as the librarians soon tired of her daily habit of turning up in the morning and then later that afternoon to sate her craving. She was quickly limited to one visit a day.
Her love for books would lead her to become an author for the BBC’s Listen With Mother, a radio story–time broadcast that was popular across the nation between 1950 and the 1980s.
Jean’s daughter, Alex, recalls sitting down in primary school and listening to her mother’s stories being read out on the radio and hearing the memorable: “Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin...”
Jean moved to Stevenage in the 1970s with her husband, David, and two children Jonathan and Alex.
She studied English and linguistics at the University of Hertfordshire, before going on to complete her PGCE and becoming an English teacher.
Over the years, Jean would teach up to three generations of the same family, with grandchildren stunned that their English teacher could remember their grandparents as pupils.
In 2010, Jean founded YoungEducation Tutors, a private tutoring service that operates across Hertfordshire. YoungEducation also supports disadvantaged families to ensure the attainment gap in schools is closed.
Jean’s family have set up the Jean Young Foundation in her memory, to continue supporting families across Hertfordshire. Find out more at justgiving.com/crowdfunding/jean-young-foundationAnyone with fond memories or stories of Jean are welcome to post these on to Jean’s Facebook memorial page which can be found by searching “Jean Young”.
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