Jean Matthews Martin, 73, was an amazing woman who forever touched the lives of everyone who knew her.
Born in Cleveland on May 4, 1951, to Donald B. and Eleanor (Pierson) Matthews, Jean grew up in Westlake along with her older sister, Janet.
An avid reader from an early age, Jean also had a gift for communicating with people, which contributed to her success as she pursued a degree in social work at Baldwin-Wallace College, her father’s alma mater. She was passionately involved in social justice causes, such as advocating for women’s rights and protesting against the Vietnam War. She was also a great lover of animals, becoming a vegetarian in protest of inhumane slaughter and rescuing many cats and dogs in need over the course of her life. Jean believed strongly in the power of community and worked tirelessly for the good of those around her. She would often say that the key to successful change was to start with yourself and your neighborhood and to expand from there. Thus, when she recognized the need for safe gathering spaces in her own neighborhood, she and some friends started the Berea Community Center, establishing the roots for a network of people who remain in touch and still gather to this day.
After earning her BSW, Jean began working as an addictions counselor and was responsible for helping countless individuals quit drugs and alcohol. She eventually founded the company Self Help and provided treatment in Carroll and Tuscarawas counties for many years. Jean was very proud of her work and was regularly stopped by former clients who recognized her from the past and were compelled to thank her for helping them turn their lives around. Her legacy as a mentor, counselor, social justice advocate and friend was long enduring, and she maintained those connections for decades, regularly writing letters and holiday cards, talking on the phone, and visiting in person with friends and colleagues.
She married James W. Martin of Cincinnati on Oct. 7, 1978, and went on to have two children, Geoffrey and Lauren. As proud as she was of her work as a counselor, Jean would say that being a mother was the greatest work of her life. She loved her family dearly and, despite having a busy career running her business, she made sure to spend quality time with her children during family dinners, in activities as a Boy and Girl Scout troop leader, in gatherings for the holidays, and on her beloved yearly Myrtle Beach vacations. Jean was also devoted to her parents, never missing a single Christmas with her mother and father and spending extra time as a caretaker for her mother in her elder years.
After retirement, Jean enjoyed spending time at home with her pets as well as visiting her children. The combination of her excellent memory and love of reading meant that she rarely re-read books, and she therefore also spent a great deal of time at her local library in search of new reading material, particularly enjoying true crime novels. She maintained her sharp mind and fierce independence her entire life.
Jean was preceded in death by her parents, Donald B. and Eleanor “Lee” (Pierson) Matthews; her ex-husband but co-parent and friend, James W. Martin; her nephew, Richard Cohen; and her brother-in-law, Neal Cohen.
She is survived by her son, Geoffrey of Holly Springs, North Carolina; her daughter, Lauren (Joe Hickman) of Morgantown, West Virginia; her best friend of over 54 years, Richard Piazza of Independence, Ohio; her sister, Jan Cohen, and nephew, Matthew Cohen, and his family, all of whom reside in Florida; by family friend Dallas Plessinger of Carrollton (who has taken on the care of her beloved dog, Rana); by her feline companions, Bernie, Earl, Iris Grace and Belle; and by numerous dear friends from the Berea Community Center and in Cleveland and Carrollton.
She was truly an amazing woman who forever touched the lives of everyone who was blessed to know her.
She was called to her home in heaven on March 21, 2025, and will be dearly missed by her family and friends.
A memorial service will be held at Allmon-Dugger-Cotton Funeral Home on April 1 at 7:30 p.m. to celebrate her life.
In lieu of cut flowers, her family is requesting perennial plants for a memorial garden on her property or donations to be made to the animal rescue (founded by her daughter) where she adopted her cats: Appalachian Peace Paws Rescue (paypal.me/APPRWV).
Please email lmartin61636@gmail.com to participate in planting in Jean’s honor.