The Central Vermont community is mourning the tragic and untimely loss of one of its most cherished souls, Jean Newberry—a devoted mother, compassionate caregiver, wise educator, and beloved friend. Jean’s passing has left a void so deep, it echoes through homes, classrooms, and hearts across the region.
Jean was reported missing on July 5th, and after two harrowing days of search and prayer, she was found deceased on a local trail. The shock of her sudden death has shaken all who knew her—and many who may have only known her by her warm smile or the gentle energy she brought into a room.
This loss is not just personal—it is communal.
A Life Devoted to Care and Compassion
Jean Newberry lived a life defined by service, kindness, and connection. As an early childhood educator, nanny, and parent educator, she shaped the lives of countless children and their families, nurturing not only young minds but the hearts of overwhelmed, grateful parents.
Many first met Jean when she worked with Good Beginnings of Central Vermont, offering parent education and postnatal support with grace and empathy. Others remember her tender presence as a nanny, quietly guiding little ones through their earliest days with a sense of patience and love that is rare and irreplaceable.
From 2016 to 2021, Jean served as a deeply valued member of the staff at the Sweet Clover Nursery at Orchard Valley Waldorf School, where she held space for wonder, growth, and gentleness. Her ability to speak to children in the language of imagination and comfort left an indelible mark on the lives of so many young families.
Jean didn’t just work in these spaces—she blessed them. Whether she was rocking a newborn, kneeling to comfort a toddler, or listening intently to a struggling parent, Jean made people feel seen, supported, and safe.
A Mother’s Light
To speak of Jean is to speak of her deep and tender love for her son, Mliki. Some in the community first saw her with him—an infant in her arms—while she worked at Tulsi Tea Room in Montpelier, greeting guests with a luminous smile and quiet joy. Jean’s love for Mliki was her anchor, her pride, her purpose.
Those who knew her well speak often of the powerful connection between Jean and her son. It was radiant, as if the love between them was its own gentle language. Jean parented with presence, reverence, and grace—offering Mliki a world where empathy and curiosity thrived.
A Call to Support
In the wake of this devastating tragedy, the community is coming together not only in grief, but in love and action. A fund is being organized to help support Mliki’s future, and to assist with the unexpected costs surrounding Jean’s passing.
This is an opportunity for those whose lives were touched by Jean’s work, her warmth, or her presence to give back in a meaningful way—to ensure that her legacy lives on through her son, and that her family is supported in this unthinkable time of loss.
If you are able, please consider contributing. Your donation—no matter the size—is a tribute to Jean’s legacy of care, and a tangible act of solidarity with a community mourning a sister, a guide, a mother, a friend.
Holding Each Other Close
Jean Newberry was more than the roles she held—she was a beacon of gentleness, a teacher of love, and a friend to so many. Her absence is deeply felt, but her spirit lives on in every child she held, every parent she comforted, and every life she so quietly and beautifully touched.
Let us honor her memory by holding one another tenderly, by continuing her work of nurturing others, and by ensuring that her son grows up surrounded by the same loving community that his mother so fiercely believed in.
Rest in peace, dear Jean. Your light lives on.
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