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Jean McIntire Leuchtenburg

Jean McIntire Leuchtenburg died peacefully on July 2, 2024, at the age of 99, at Essex Meadows in Essex. She is survived by her former husband, Professor William E. Leuchtenburg and his spouse Jean Anne; her three sons, Thomas, Christopher, and Joshua and their spouses, Lucy, Laurie, and Tamara; her six grandchildren and their spouses: Cynthia Brennan (William), Brian (Laura), Michael (Maria), Alex, Jessica and Julia; and her two great-grandchildren, William and Teddy Brennan. She is predeceased by her two sisters, Catherine Leslie and Lady Barbara Gorham. Family was the center of her life and gave her the greatest joy.

Throughout her long life, Jean remained devoted to preserving the environment. She was a longtime member and past president of the Essex Land Trust, to which she donated her island in the Falls River in Centerbrook—now known as Jean’s Island. She is a trustee emeritus of the Ferguson Museum on Fishers Island, New York, where she long focused on gifts of land for preservation. As a longtime member of the vestry of St. John’s Episcopal Church on Fishers Island, she championed scholarships for island children. When not pursuing these or other charitable causes, Jean co-owned the Chester Art Gallery in Chester, which focused on Connecticut artists and contributed to Chester becoming known as an arts hub at the time. In addition, she opened her home for numerous young artists and architects to live over the years.

Jean grew up in Englewood, New Jersey, and Fishers Island, New York, where her parents, William Tredick McIntire and Catherine Miller McIntire, maintained homes. She was a graduate of the Ethel Walker School and Sarah Lawrence College. While married to her former husband, she lived in Dobbs Ferry, New York, and Centerbrook, which remained her primary residence until she moved to Essex Meadows. She also had a home on Shingle Hill, Fishers Island, where she had lived as a child. She became an accomplished sailor in her youth, regularly winning the July and August series while sailing Bullseyes and Quincy Adams. Jean enjoyed bringing her family to the Fishers Island Club beach and to myriad activities at Hay Harbor Club.

Above all, Jean will be remembered for her zest for life and her enormous capacity to envelop those around her with love and compassion.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday, July 25, at Essex Congregational Church, 6 Methodist Hill. Additionally, there will be a memorial service at 1:45 p.m. Friday, July 26, at St. John’s Church on Fishers Island.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in memory of Jean McIntire Leuchtenburg to The Henry L. Ferguson Museum, P.O. Box 554, Fishers Island, NY 06390, or the Essex Land Trust, P.O. Box 373, Essex, CT 06426.