Jean Lively Zuk, age 92, of Gloucester, passed away peacefully at her home on Sunday, December 22, 2024. Jean was born on February 8, 1932 to the late Fleet Woodson and Ida Caroline Mann Lively in West Virginia. After graduating from high school in W.Va., she moved to Northern Virginia where she worked for a short period of time with C & P Telephone Company. During this time, she met and married Theodore “Ted” Joseph Zuk. They settled in Fairfax, Va., where they lived for 33 years with their three children. It was during this time that she began her lifelong career of being a wife, homemaker, and caretaker of others.
In 1990, Jean and Ted “retired” and turned their river cottage in Gloucester into their forever home. After the death of Ted, Jean became an active member of Reedswood Christian Church, where she enjoyed spending time with the Hearts and Hands ladies’ fellowship and singing in the choir. It was here that she met and married Donald C. Brewster Sr. They enjoyed spending time together at The Whaler Inn in Pine Knoll Shores, N.C., and their Sunday afternoon rides in the Mustang.
Jean will be fondly remembered for her love of birds and was rarely seen without her binoculars and a bird book nearby. She enjoyed going birdwatching with her sister and participating in local bird counts. She also enjoyed traveling with her sister with her favorite trips being Hawaii and Alaska. Jean was an amazing cook and enjoyed bringing her family together around the table for special occasions. She enjoyed making trips to W.Va. for family reunions and listening to the “family band.” Her favorite pastime was spending time on the banks of the Piankatank with family and friends, reading her books, doing her crossword puzzles, or eating crabs!
Jean was preceded in death by her husband, Ted (father of Tony and Mark), and her husband, Don. She is survived by her son, Phillip Anthony “Tony” Zuk (Robin) of Gloucester, Gregory Mark Zuk (Denise) of Fernandina Beach, Fla., and daughter Linda Fairbanks of Green Valley, Ariz. She will be fondly remembered by her five grandchildren, Joseph “Joe” Zuk of Fredericksburg, Va., Kathryn Person (Sean) of Fernandina Beach, Jacob Zuk of Dallas, Texas, Jenny Mayor (Ryan) of Tucson, Ariz., and Carma Elliott (Derick) of Ash Grove, Mo. Her four great-grandchildren, Eva, Rebecca, Quinn, and Thor, brought her lots of smiles.
In memory of Jean, contributions may be made to the Riverside Palliative Care team of Gloucester, c/o Riverside Foundation, 701 Town Center Drive, Suite 1000, Newport News, Va. 23606, or at riversideonline.com/give.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 4, 2025, at 1 p.m. at Reedswood Christian Church. The inurnment is private. Services under the direction of Hogg Funeral Home & Crematory.