September 10, 1914 – November 11, 2007
Jean was born in Toronto on September 10, 1914 to Gordon and Jemima Coupland. She enjoyed church, Girl Guides, skating and elocution lessons. When she moved to Muskoka Falls in 1933 to help her ailing parents, one neighbour recalled Jean giving recitations at the school’s Christmas concerts.
Later, she returned to Toronto, working at Annesley Hall during the winter and on the Muskoka Lakes steamship, the Sagamo during the summer.
One of the neighbourhood lads she met was Lloyd Morrow whom she married on September 17, 1941. Their only son Norman and his wife, Patsy, and their daughters Leah Anne and Jessica Lee are left to mourn, along with Jean’s sister Eleanor Cote, sisters-in-law Orpha Morrow, Carol Coupland and Bonnie Brown, and a large extended family. Jean was predeceased by her brothers, Robert, James, Russell, Donald, Harry and Ronald Coupland.
When they were married Jean and Lloyd, along with the help of his father, built their log home beside Muskoka Falls School. Lloyd died in Muskoka Nursing Home in April 1999. In June 1999, Jean moved into the new Leisureworld Nursing Home where she died on November 11, 2007.
Jean was very active in the life of the Muskoka Falls community. She taught Sunday School for close to 50 years. She was a life elder at Muskoka Falls United Church and served on the church board. She led the Bible study for the church women’s group. She often attended the Pentecostal and the Fellowship Baptist Church as well.
The ladies at Muskoka Falls started a club during the war to send packages to the soldiers overseas. Afterwards, they decided to continue this service club, which they called the Carry-On Club. Jean belonged to this group, which continued to have meetings until the early 1990s.
During the 1940s and ’50s Jean was a trustee on the Draper Township School Board, serving as secretary-treasurer.
From 1954 to 1964, Jean worked at the Muskoka Pines Restaurant, then she worked for Keith’s Marketeria where she ran the lunch counter.
In 1967 she started doing daycare in her home. At her funeral service, Doris Sefton, one of the parents, paid tribute to Jean’s care of her sons.
Jean always found time to help in the community by providing transportation, doing shopping for shut-ins and having seniors home for meals. Jean was a volunteer canvasser for several organizations.
From 1976 to 1987 when she had a major heart attack, Jean wrote the Muskoka Falls news for the Herald-Gazette.
Jean was an avid speed skater and was skating into her 70s. She enjoyed reading devotional books and romances.
Jean’s home was a welcoming place and her family paid tribute to her as an aunt, mother-in-law, grandmother and friend as they reminisced about the baking, animals and games.
She will be missed but fondly remembered by all who knew her. She had a strong faith and has gone to be with her Lord.