Obituary: Jean (McMann) Markwood
Maine‑born Nurse and Community Champion Jean McMann Markwood Dies at 82
WINCHESTER, Va. — Jean McMann Markwood, a lifelong advocate for children and a beloved figure in Virginia’s nonprofit community, died on Monday, April 20, 2026, at the age of 82. Born on November 23, 1943, in Bath, Maine, she grew up under the care of parents Edward J. “Red” McMann and Emily Larrabee McMann. The family’s close ties to Maine remained a constant in Jean’s life, even after she moved away as a teenager.
Jean graduated from Morse High School in 1962, where she was active in a number of school activities, earned a place in the National Honor Society, and was voted the student with the most school spirit. She went on to Dartmouth‑Hitchcock School of Nursing in Hanover, New Hampshire. After earning her nursing license, she joined the pediatric unit at the University of Colorado Medical Center in Denver. At that time the center was pioneering kidney transplants for children with chronic kidney failure—an emerging and often lethal field. Jean became known for her compassion, organizing outings for children to parks, zoos, and other recreational venues. When asked why she drew so close to the young patients, she said, “Because they are still with us, and we want to give them as much happiness as possible.”
In 1968, Jean married John Markwood, a fellow nurse she met while working at the Denver medical center. The couple moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, where John earned a doctorate from the University of Virginia. The two became a team that would support a number of charitable causes for decades.
In 1975, the Markwoods relocated to Reston, Virginia. John took a leadership position with the O’Leary Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping troubled youth. A key project of the foundation was Timber Ridge School, a residential program for adolescents who needed education, counseling, and structure. Jean served as the school’s nurse and helped oversee a major renovation. With the help of donors and volunteers, she helped build new dormitories, a dining hall, a gym, classrooms, an administrative office, and improved landscaping. Her hands‑on spirit earned her the affectionate titles “Tackiness Eradicator” and “Menu Enhancer.” She also volunteered to prepare holiday dinners for the students, ensuring that no one in the school missed a special meal.
A lifelong love of Maine food led Jean to introduce the tradition of the clambake to the Shenandoah Valley. “I wanted to bring a taste of home to the families we served,” she recalled, “and it was a joy to see people enjoying it.” A familiar joke among the Timber Ridge staff was that, when Jean’s bumper sticker read “Mainer – Living in Exile,” the staff would ask her, “Ms. Markwood, where’s Exile?”
Jean and John raised five children: Patrick Lee Markwood, Kimberly Jo Markwood Heery, John Matthew Markwood, Jed McMann Markwood, and Jordan Michael Markwood. Their children achieved academic success, excelled in sports, and pursued prosperous careers. Jean’s legacy of service and kindness extended to her eight grandchildren, three great‑grandchildren, and two sisters, Marie McMann Peaslee and Paula McMann Adam.
Jean did not favor traditional funeral services. She asked her husband to arrange a celebration of life in her honor, which was held on May 24 at The Chapel in the Village at Orchard Ridge in Winchester, Virginia. The event featured stories of her generosity, her warmth, and her dedication to helping others. Friends and family gathered to remember a woman who “was kind, caring, helpful, and deeply missed.”
Donations to honor Jean’s memory may be made to the Bath Alumni Association, Morse High School, or the Congress Avenue chapter of the Maine Association in Bath, Maine.
Jean McMann Markwood is survived by her husband, Dr. John Markwood, her five children, her grandchildren, great‑grandchildren, and sisters. Her spirit of compassion and community service will be remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing her.
