Obituary
Byron Gallant received an early birthday present this year when his wife of fifty years, Jean, finally made her way to heaven to join him. Jean Margaret Creighton was an only child and upon being welcomed by the Gallant Clan she finally had the family she dreamed of with Byron’s four sisters and their husbands – Ruth and Jack Gallagher, Claire and Frank Collins, Connie and Jackie Dryden and Nancy and Bill McLaughlin.
Together Jean and Byron welcomed two daughters, Jane and Susan into this world. Their little family brought Jean great joy and throughout the years they treasured many adventures together. Family was her essence. Jean always had a wonderful sense of adventure and her philosophy was “WHY NOT!”. Whether training to walk the Great Wall of China in her eightieth year, sunsets in Florida, Beer gardens in Germany, shows in Vegas, Night Life in the Big Apple, Mexico, Music in Branson, hostels in England with her grandchildren, cruising the Caribbean…Jean was always ready to pack her bags!
Jean was adored by her five grandchildren: Shamus Donovan (Zelia), Kevin McCaustlin (Clare), Jon Donovan (Amanda), Mark McCaustlin (Esther) and Shannon Smith (Brad) as well as her six great granddaughters: Ira, Caya, Florence, Emily, Iola and Ellie. Byron and Jean were fun grandparents. The grandchildren have lovely memories of adventures in the family home on Dumont street and ITZAKAMP on Treadwell Lake.
Jean was a graduate of St. Vincent’s High School. She was also a career girl who started as a hair stylist, then secretary with JD Irving Chandler Division, bookkeeper with Quality Electric, secretary with Wilson Roofing and receptionist at Rocmaura. Jean made friends everywhere she went and was always a valued employee. Jean was an avid bridge player and together with her girlfriends played cards for over sixty years. Jean welcomed everyone into her home and was admired by many for her sense of values and humor. She was resilient and managed to rebound though difficult times. We were blessed to have such an amazing role model with great fashion sense. Her daughters’ friends always included her in their outings, she loved joining the girls at cultural events uptown Saint John. In Germany, Jean was affectionally known as “Whisky A-Go Go” and often was heard to say “Don’t kill it with the mix”!
Jean’s nieces and nephews have always been an important part of her life. Jean will be missed by many and indeed her life was well lived! In her later years Jean and her family felt blessed to welcome Don Richardson and his family into their lives. Jean was predeceased by her husband Byron and her parents Eva and Percy Creighton as well as her aunt Isabelle Winn, great granddaughter Chloe.
We want to thank the wonderful staff at Shannex (Concord and Embassy Hall) who were there over the past seven years. Their kindness and caring helped Jean’s family throughout many times. Alzheimer’s is a dreadful disease and Jean fought tooth and nail until Covid hit several weeks ago and her quality of life quickly diminished. Her family will forever be grateful for the love and support they received during this difficult time.
A private family remembrance will be held at a later date. An act of kindness in memory of Jean would be appreciated.
To send flowers to Jean’s family, please visit our floral store.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Jean Margaret Creighton Gallant February 25 1928 May 31 2022 (age 94)..
Death notice for the town of: Saint-John, Province: Nouveau-Brunswick