Jean Eleanor Alcock

To view the livestream of the memorial service, for Jean, please click on the livestream link below:

Memorial Service for Jean Alcock

Absent from the body and at home with the Lord — 2 Corinthians 5:8

Jean Eleanor Alcock was born on 21 July 1928 in Matatiele, South Africa, and went home to the Lord on October 30th, 2023, aged 95.

Jean completed her schooling in Durban and thereafter studied at the Teacher Training College in Pietermaritzburg. She and her husband Trevor first lived on a farm near Ixopo. Jean started her teaching career by first home schooling her two older sons, Lewis and Kevin, after which she taught at Ixopo Junior School (where she taught her youngest son, Warwick). Later she taught at various schools in Durban. She impacted many lives over the course of her career teaching pupils in their first year of school.

Jean was rock solid in her Christian faith. One of her favorite hymns was Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Never intrusive, in character she was a remarkable combination of gentleness and resilience. Through her faith she was able to help the family navigate major life challenges with wisdom, love and encouragement.

Jean traveled widely in her retirement years, and was at one stage a citizen of three countries, South Africa, the UK and the USA. She was able to travel extensively to stay and adventure with family in different parts of the world. She has six grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren in these countries.

Jean is preceded in death by her parents Frederick and Lucy Roach, her husband Trevor Alcock, her second son Kevin Alcock, and her daughter-in-law Charmaine Alcock. She is survived by her oldest son, Lewis, her youngest son Warwick and daughter-in-law Trish, and her daughter-in law Carol; her six grandchildren: Gareth, Craig, Dean and Julian Alcock, Cerian Bearl and Ruth Wafi; and her great grandchildren: Donovan, Benjamin and Clara Alcock (in South Africa); Lydia, Valerie, Whitney and Claire Alcock (USA); Evelyn and Olive Alcock (UK); Owen, Helen and Lucas Bearl (USA), and Lillian and Adrian Wafi (UK). Jean loved her global extended family dearly, and was herself very warmly loved.

She chose to close her life with this uplifting doxology from Jude 24 and 25: Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Celebration of Life will be 2:00 PM Sunday, November 12 at Westgate Church, 705 County Rd 101, Plymouth.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts to the family for future designation.