Jean Perry Ives

Jean Perry Ives (April 9, 1931 – November 20, 2021), daughter of the late Roy and Jane Perry, was born and raised in East Orange, NJ. Growing up, she loved being so close to New York City and briefly modeled for Neysa McMein, posing for a full-page portrait in the New York Times at age 10.  At 16, Jean graduated early from high school and earned an undergraduate degree in chemistry and bacteriology from Douglass College followed by a Masters degree from Rutgers College.

At 17, she appeared on the cover page of the Douglass College yearbook.  It was there that she met her soon-to-be husband, Albert Granger Ives II (passed in 1992). Jean worked at Bell Laboratories (aka Lucent) before following Al to France during his Korean War military service.  From there, they moved back to Bridgewater Township, New Jersey.

In 1964, Jean and her family moved to Solon, Ohio, which soon became her “home town”.  Jean met many of her lifelong friends there.  The Solon school kids all knew “Mrs. Ives” as one of the most engaging, fair-minded, positive parents around – like a mother to them as well.

Jean’s mother, Jane Perry, was one of NYU’s first female college athletes to compete and medal in track and field at Madison Square Garden and later became a state shuffleboard champion in Florida. Following in her footsteps, Jean played four years of varsity basketball and varsity field hockey at Douglass.  During her career as a full-time mother to two boys, Jean played competitive tennis throughout northeastern Ohio. Adding to her never-ending list of interests, Jean pursued a hobby making jewelry along with her husband Al who did the gemstone lapidary work.

Jean was also known to throw very creative themed parties.  For example - a “Clue” party where Jean and Al made an appearance as The Maid and Colonel Mustard. Once, when not invited to a party, they rented ape suits, crashed the party, and threw bananas at the house.

Following Al’s post-Solon career moves to Rochester Hills, MI and Jefferson City, TN, they retired to their dream home on Hilton Head Island. There, Jean continued her passion for lifelong learning and community involvement.  One of her adopted dogs, Easter, appeared on the Hilton Head Humane Society’s donation poster at all the local checkout counters. Everyone on the island knew Easter and most of them knew Jean.

Throughout her life, she had an insatiable curiosity, a love of nature, and an aura of friendliness that drew you in.  Jean passed peacefully at Village Cove, an assisted living facility just a mile from her home on Hilton Head.

Jean is survived by her children Bill Ives and Tom (Trudy) Ives and her six grandchildren Lindsay, Geoffrey, Lawson, Celine, Pierce and Jacquelyn. She is dearly missed.

A celebration of her life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to: Hilton Head Humane Association

Hilton Head Humane Association P.O. Box 21790 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina 299250