Jean Bovington

JEAN HOSFORD FLEMING BOVINGTON Jean Hosford Fleming Bovington, born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, passed away Sunday, December 13, 2009. She was 79. Complications from a fall she took after hosting a Christmas brunch with children and grandchildren in Louisville, Colorado, caused her death. Born September 12, 1930 at University Hospital in Cleveland, Jean graduated from Shaker Heights High School in 1948 and Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont, with a degree in American Literature in 1952. She earned her Masters in Education from Case-Western Reserve University in 1953. Jean taught Kindergarten at Moreland Elementary School until the birth of her first child, and was a substitute teacher in Cleveland area schools, both public and private, for many years. She married Carroll Holt Fleming, Jr., known to all as Skip, on June 25, 1954. Jean and Skip raised their three children, Wendy, David and John, in Shaker Heights and Pepper Pike with a brief interlude in New Canaan, Connecticut. The couple divorced after 29 years of marriage. Jean served on numerous boards, including Amasa Stone Retirement Center and Garfield Memorial Church, and was an avid community volunteer. In 1980, at the age of 50, Jean reinvented herself and began work as an agent and registered representative for The Aetna Life Insurance and Annuity Company selling life insurance, annuities, pensions and IRA's. With her patient, caretaking attitude toward every client, she built a strong business, selling primarily to teachers and medical professionals. She won every major sales award Aetna had to give, and was a life member of the Million Dollar Round Table. Jean ranked second in annuity sales at Aetna. She was passionate about the importance of planning for the future, a passion that she transmitted to her clients. At the age of 56, she fell in love with her Shaker Heights grade school companion, John R. Bovington, known to his friends as Jock. Jock left his pathology practice in Helena, Montana, to marry Jean on January 29, 1987, and worked as a pathologist at Parma Community General Hospital for 14 years. In Cleveland Jean and Jock regularly entertained their eight children, nineteen grandchildren and many friends. They spent their summers together in Montana on Placid Lake, fly fishing, reading and entertaining. Jean's beloved Jock died on November 20, 2006. Jean is survived by her children Wendell Fleming and Stephen Cunningham and their sons Patrick, Luke and Caleb; David and Karen Fleming and their children Michael, Jordan and Alex; and John and Lynn Fleming and their children Jason, Andrew and Laura, all of whom live in Colorado. She is also survived by her step children Jill and Jerry Duke; Jock and Tere Bovington and their children Samia, Tivan, Jock and Jace; Kim and Ted Mead and their sons Patrick and Ben; Sam and Teri Bovington and their children Megan and Sam; and Tom and Judy Bovington and their children Helen and Neal. Her niece Janet Cubbage and nephews Bob and Don Bailey and their children also survive her. Contributions may be made to The Cleveland Orchestra, 11001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106 or to The Intergenerational School, 12200 Fairhill Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44120. Memorial services will be held at Garfield Memorial Methodist Church, 3650 Lander Road on Saturday, January 23 at 11:00 am. For additional directions and information go to www.brown-forward.com Brown-Forward Service 216-752-1200.


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