Jean Kay Morse-Jackson, 87, of Bath, New York, entered eternal life on August 15, 2026. She was born December 17, 1938, the second daughter of Clifford Monroe Morse and May Frank Read Morse, and was a lifelong resident of Bath.

After graduating from Haverling High School, Jean attended Rochester Institute of Technology, studying culinary arts. She spent many years serving our nation's veterans at the Bath VA Medical Center, first as a medical secretary and later as a cook. Jean also had a creative side and enjoyed designing and creating jewelry, eventually turning her passion into a small business.

After retiring from the VA, Jean devoted herself to genealogy. She spent years researching the Morse and Read family lines, tracing them back nearly 500 years and documenting generations of families connected to New York and Steuben County. Her research resulted in a family tree containing more than 100,000 individuals, creating a lasting legacy for generations to come.

One of the greatest joys of Jean's later years was the restoration of her own family. Her only child, Molly Rosenthal, was placed for adoption shortly after her birth in 1960. Decades later, Jean's granddaughter, Olivia Poniatowski, began searching for her grandmother. Through genealogical and genetic research, Olivia eventually connected with Jean's family, leading to a long-awaited reunion with Jean around her 84th birthday. Jean was also blessed to meet her great-grandson, Adrian Grzegorz Poniatowski II.

Jean was married first to Charles Johnson. She later met her soulmate, George J. Jackson Jr., and they married on April 28, 2006, in Fort Ann, New York. They remained devoted to one another until George's death in 2025.

Family remained deeply important to Jean throughout her life. She was especially close to her brother, Clifford Fay Morse, who shared her home with her for a time before her move to the nursing home. His companionship was a meaningful part of her later years. Jean also held a particularly special place in her heart for her nephew, Lee Matthew Morse "Matty", the only child of her beloved younger brother, Dale. She treasured her relationship with Matty and his wife, Sally.

Jean is survived by her daughter, Molly Elizabeth Rosenthal (née Reece); her grandchildren, Matthew Ryan Rosenthal and Olivia Noel Poniatowski (née Huffman); her great-grandchildren, Ayden Hazel Rosenthal and Adrian Grzegorz Poniatowski II; her younger brother, Clifford Fay Morse; her eldest sister, Sue Carol Abbott; her nieces, Kathlyn Sue Pittman (née Weidner) and Alane Kristie Updegraff (née Weidner); and her nephews, Michael Barry Weidner, Thomas Garrett Weidner, and Lee Matthew Morse.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband, George J. Jackson Jr.; her first husband, Charles Johnson; her parents, Clifford Monroe Morse and May Frank Read Morse; and her younger brother, Dale Lee Morse.

In accordance with Jean's wishes, she will be cremated and her ashes laid to rest beside her beloved husband, George.

Jean leaves behind a remarkable family legacy, a family she worked tirelessly to preserve, and countless lives touched by her kindness, creativity, service, and love.

Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace. Amen.