Jean M. (Schoenherr) Carrozzi

Charlotte/Greece: May 27, 2023. Jean is predeceased by her daughter, Kathy Carrozzi. She is survived by her husband, Joseph Carrozzi; children, Melanie (Karl) Weekes, Joseph, Jr. (Debbie Saffer) Carrozzi; & Todd (Lisa) Carrozzi; grandchildren, Bob (Katie) Weekes, Jim Weekes, Tom (Sarah) Weekes, Katie (Ron) Ackley, Becky (Brad) Kohlman, Will Carrozzi, & Joey Carrozzi; great-grandchildren, Evelyn Weekes, Daniel Weekes, & Ethan Kohlman; several nieces, nephews, cousins & dear friends.

Jean Marie Schoenherr was born on January 5, 1936, in Rochester, NY. She was sickly as an infant and during childhood, had numerous rare illnesses that were potentially fatal, but she survived each time. She and her older brother Bob were the youngest of the grandchildren on their dad's side of the family.

The family had little money and didn't own a car until her teenage years. Jean attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help School from first to eighth grade and Nazareth Academy on a full four-year scholarship. She worked at various jobs from the time she was 15 yrs old. For entertainment, they went to the neighborhood movie theater for newsreel and bingo nights, and sing-a-longs. A major event happened when Jean was only 15, when her older brother, Bob was sent home from boot camp for the Marine Corps with what was eventually diagnosed as Hodgkins Lymphoma. Bob passed away at age 19 and was buried on Christmas Eve. Jean never got over it and felt her childhood ended at 15.

Jean's father's family was filled with Nuns. Three of her aunts were nuns and one of her cousins became a nun as well. Grandma Schoenherr's youngest son was Eddie, who nicknamed Jean, 'blabbermouth" because she couldn't keep a secret. Her Uncle Al (who reminded her of Santa Claus!) and Aunt Mae were her Godparents and she loved to stay with them on their farm in Penfield.

On her mother's side, the Burtons were a big, fun-loving family. Grandma and Grandpa owned a fish and chips restaurant in Clarkson. Jean loved to take the blue Bus into Brockport. Gramps would pick her up and she would spend a few days there. Christmas Eve was always a big celebration with the Burton kin. Jean was the youngest Granddaughter. When she was 15, she lost her grandfather and she was devastated. Grandma lived to 91 and never lost her boisterous personality or her British accent!

Jean and Joe briefly met in 1955, and then again when they stood up for Joe's brother Vince Jr and Corrinne, who was friends with Jean. After the wedding, they began to date in late October 1955. Only 6 months later, in April of 1956, they were engaged and married on July 7, 1956. The marriage went on until the day Jean passed and would have been 67 years this July 7.

For the first eleven years, they lived in a duplex on Parkway, owned by Joe's parents. Many other family members lived in one unit of the two duplexes that were side by side. Kathleen Ann was born on June 3, 1958, and the family grew from there. Their second daughter, Melanie Jean was born on October 3, 1960, and their first son, Joseph James Jr. was born on June 21, 1963. Jean and Joe were members of St. Anthony of Padua parish and the girls started school there, Kathy attended K-4 and Melanie K -1st grade. In the summer of 1967, Jean and Joe moved to 181 Elmtree Road in Charlotte, where they lived for 50+ years. There, the kids attended #42 school and on October 7, 1972, Todd Michael was born. The older kids all went to Charlotte Jr, Sr. High School. The family became members of Holy Cross Parish where they remain to this day.

Jean became involved in the community right away and was PTA president, Booster club leader, School volunteer, and even Cheerleader Advisor when Melanie was on the Cheerleading squad. Outside of school involvement, Jean and Joe were extremely active in the Republican party of Monroe County and the City of Rochester. Jean was appointed to an open seat on the Rochester City Council. She was the only Republican woman ever appointed to or elected to that post. She became the last EVER Republican on the Rochester City Council. Jean was also a member of the Rochester Republican Woman's Club and eventually, served as their president. She was also appointed to the Civil Service Commission and eventually became the Chairman of the commission. Jean was also an important part of the Charlotte Community Association and the Ontario Beach Park Program Committee when Joe became their president. They did so much for the community, that in June of 2019, the performance pavilion at Ontario Beach Park was renamed in their honor.

Jean was, for the most part, a stay-at-home mom and that was her greatest joy.... until she had her first grandchild. Robert Karl Weekes was born October 16, 1986, and was named for her late brother, by her daughter, Melanie. 3 years later, James Joseph Weekes was born 5 weeks prematurely and Jean accompanied Mel up to the hospital almost every day for 2 weeks to see him while he was in the NICU. Next came her first granddaughter, Katelyn (Katie) Elizabeth Carrozzi on April 7, 1991, daughter of Joe Jr. Thomas Vincent Weekes was born November 20, 1992, and then Rebecca (Becky) Lynn Carrozzi on May 26, 1994. Like Nana, Jean relished in being a grandma and spending time with them. As the girls got older, sometimes she would pick up 'Aunt Mel" and the girls and they would drive to Syracuse for a day of shopping and hanging out and stop at Eastview Mall on the way home. It was a 'girls' day and they had so much fun!

On Father's Day, June 18, 1995, Kathleen Ann Carrozzi passed away after a long battle with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. It was devastating to the whole family, but to be taken by the same disease that took her brother was particularly heartbreaking for Jean.

Todd married Lisa in July 1999 and two years later brought another grandson into the family. When William Todd Carrozzi was born on August 6, 2001, Nana Jean flew down to Maryland to help with the new baby. May 3, 2005, brought the last grandchild, Joseph Morgan Carrozzi, and again, she flew down to Maryland to help out.

Through the years Jean was active in Bowling teams (she even bowled on 'Bowling for Dollars' on television) and other groups and had many, many friends. As a family, we made road trips to Florida three times to see Grandma and Grandpa Carrozzi and even got to spend a day at Disney World. The longest road trip was to visit Grandma and Grandpa Schoenherr in Roswell, NM. All 6 of us cramped into a station wagon, which was quite an adventure.

Jean was on the cutting edge of technology, learning how to use a computer and staying up to date on all things technical. She played video games with the kids and she used a computer and smartphone up until the last day of her life. She was never afraid to try new things and was smart enough to go to college, but with parents that couldn't help her finance it, she went right to work to pay her own way. She should have been a scientist or engineer of some kind, but in her day, a woman's place was, for the most part, in the home or as a secretary or teacher.

Jean and Joe took several trips down to Florida to visit Joe's sister Laura and Jean went with Melanie, cousin Nancy, and Mel's friends, Suzanne and Joyce to Disney for a week. It was such fun to take Mom back to Disney as an adult.

In 2015, Todd, Lisa, Will, and Joey, along with Jean and Melanie went on a weeklong Disney Cruise. Jean was so happy she burst into tears when she walked onto the ship. She was so glad she went and talked about it often and how happy she was that she did it. After celebrating Jean and Joe's 50th wedding anniversary in 2006, Todd and Lisa decided to move to Rochester from Maryland. The following summer, in 2007, Todd moved his family to Chili. Jean was so happy (as we all were) that the whole family was back home together.

As the years went by, the grandchildren grew up and one by one, married and two of them moved away. Bob and Katie married on Jean and Joe's anniversary - July 7, 2012 - Jim moved permanently to Florida in July 2012 - Tom and Sarah married on July 1, 2017, after moving to Charlotte, NC. - Becky married Brad on June 28, 2019 - Katie married Ron on August 7, 2021. Jean was so proud to be able to witness her grandchildren growing up and to attend their graduations, awards, concerts, track meets, and finally, weddings. She would go to every band concert, award ceremony, mall concert, vocal performance, high school graduation, college graduation, and grad school commencements. You name it, she was there, both for her kids and all her grandkids. Had she been healthy enough to be here with us longer, she would have been doing the same with the great-grands.

She was so excited to be a GREAT-Grandma when Evelyn Marie Weekes was born to Bob and Katie on August 27, 2020. Ethan Bradley Kohlman was born to Becky and Brad on June 18, 2022. And Daniel James was born to Bob and Katie on May 17, 2023. As her health was deteriorating, she kept saying she wanted to live to see Daniel born. He wasn't due until May 31 and he ended up arriving 2 weeks early, which was such a blessing to her. Until her last day, she looked at pictures of him and commented about how cute he was. She loved visiting with Ethan and the last time Evie visited her, she sang songs to Nana and made her smile and laugh out loud.

Jean, Mom, Nana, Sweetie, Toots, Matilda: those were her names from friends, her children, her grandchildren, and the love of her life, Joe. She is now with her daughter, Kathy, and all the loved ones who went before her.

She will be sorely missed and never forgotten.

Jean's life story will be shared during her visitation, SUNDAY, June 4th, 1-3 PM, at the funeral home, 1411 Vintage Lane (Between 390 & Long Pond Rd.). Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Holy Cross Church, 4492 Lake Ave., TUESDAY, June 6th, at 10:30 AM. Her entombment in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery will be private. Those wishing may contribute to Ontario Beach Program Committee, PO Box 12759, Rochester, NY 14612 in Jean's memory.