Jean M. Esswein

Jean Marian Murphy Esswein

Jean Marian Esswein (nee Murphy) died peacefully in her sleep on October 30, 2024, at Greenspring Village in Springfield, Va. Jean was 101 years old, having lived a full and love-filled life.

Jean was born in East Orange, N.J. in 1923 to Raymond Grant Murphy and Mary Loretta Angela (Cunningham) Murphy. Her family moved to the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, N.Y. where she attended St. Vincent Ferrer Elementary School and Bishop MacDonald High School. She studied for two years at St. Joseph College in Brooklyn until her marriage to John George Esswein, Sr. in 1943.

While her husband, John, completed medical school at Columbia University, Jean worked in the university library, where she once met Bela Bartok, the renowned composer. After her first son Robert was born, she became a full-time mother, raising five sons through eight moves, multiple schools, childhood illnesses, and the many misadventures that come with five boys.

Jean was a loving mother, always there for support as the boys went through Scouts, Little League, music and art lessons, and school activities. Never a “helicopter mom,” Jean allowed her sons much freedom to explore the world.

After putting her four oldest sons through college, Jean went back to school, earning a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in liberal studies at Georgetown University, the latter while working full-time with the GU Continuing Education Program. For her academic achievements Jean was honored and elevated to the Phi Beta Kappa Society.

As Jean and her husband John moved from one Navy assignment to another, she made many friends and participated in many clubs and organizations. Among those were numerous Navy Wives Clubs and later, groups in Northern Virginia. She was also an accomplished artist and crafter. Jean’s needlepoint and embroidery skills were evidenced by her many award-winning pieces, and she. was an active member of the local chapter of the Embroiderers’ Guild of America. Jean also served as a docent at the Folger Shakespeare Library, in Washington, D.C., and was an active member of its association.

Jean and John were also accomplished travelers, making many trips to Europe, Israel, Canada and within the United States.

Jean, affectionately known to her grandchildren as “Skipper,” a nickname bestowed by her father, will be remembered for her love, kindness, generosity, joyful spirit and wit.

Jean was predeceased by her husband of 68 years, her brother Robert William Murphy, his wife Jean Crotty Murphy, brother-in-law Herbert William Esswein, and daughter-in-law Beverly Moore Esswein. She is survived by her sons Robert Francis Esswein of Mountain View, Calif., Paul Gerard Esswein and his wife Kathleen Plante of Carson City, Nev., John George Esswein, Jr. of Gainesville, Va., Stephen William Esswein and his wife Faye Lam Esswein of Bend, Ore., and Mark David Esswein and his wife Patricia Mertz Esswein of Vienna, Va., and her Dachshund, Roxy. She leaves ten grandchildren–Jacob, Elizabeth, Katherine, Samuel, Sean, Christopher, Amanda, Rachael (and husband Daniel), William (and wife Dayna) and Jean; three great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Jean’s funeral mass will be held at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, in Georgetown, D.C. on Monday, December 2, at 10:30 a.m. Lunch will be held afterward at the church.

Jean requested that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made in her honor to either the Greenspring Benevolent Care Fund or Doctors Without Borders.