Legal Secretary, loved traveling
MELROSE — Ruby “Jean” (Hiltz) Ducott, resident of Melrose, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, May 3 at Sawtelle Hospice House in Reading, following a brief period of declining health. She was 92.
Born in Waltham on May 25, 1930, Jean was one of three children of the late Edwin A. and Kathleen (Vroom) Hiltz. As a child, Jean moved to Deep Brook, Nova Scotia and spent her formative years there. She graduated from high school and then secretarial school. Jean was always proud of her Canadian roots.
As a young adult, she moved back to Massachusetts where she started her career as a secretary, first at Liberty Mutual, where she made lifelong friendships with Marion and Alma. She then went to work as a Legal Secretary, most notably at Guthro & McAvoy Law Offices in Melrose where she retired from.
Jean met and later married her beloved Richard Ducott and they went on to share 55 wonderful years together. They shared a common love of dancing and met while she was his student at Arthur Murray Dance Studio. She continued her love of dancing her whole life and most recently cut quite the rug at her grandson, Rick’s wedding.
Positive and upbeat, one would always find Jean with a smile on her face. She dearly loved her family and relished the time spent with them. Her most endearing trait was loving being in the middle of all the family activities but never wanting to be the center of attention.
Jean was a curious and fun person. She loved playing cards and board games and all-out victory was her only objective. When she sat down to play, she took no prisoners.
She was a longtime and active member of Trinity Episcopal Church in Melrose where she served on the Vestry and sang in the choir. Traveling was another favorite. A big trip to Europe, an Alaskan Cruise, Caribbean Cruise and a trip to Ireland were all favorites. The Sound of Music was her favorite film and she was fortunate enough to go to Salzburg where Maria Von Trapp was from. Locally, Jean enjoyed many trips to the ocean including Cape Cod, Ogunquit and Plum Island.
Jean’s love of family and friends and fun nature will be missed by all. Jean was the beloved wife of the late Richard A. Ducott with whom she shared 55 years of marriage. Devoted mother to Richard A. Ducott, Jr. and his partner Cindy Amara of Westwood; Tara J. Cosco and her husband Vincent of Litchfield, NH; Tracy A. Ducott-Moroney and her husband Daniel of S. Weymouth; and the late Scott Ducott and his surviving wife Jane of Scarborough, ME, and mother-in-law of Jean Ducott of Ipswich. Dear sister of the late William Hiltz and Iris Hiltz Van Ryzin. Cherished grandmother of Janelle Ducott and her husband Jared Peddle; Richard Ducott III and his wife Meggie; Sarah Soto and her husband Jon; William Ducott; and Michael and David Cosco; and great grandmother of Nate and Ben Peddle. Also survived by many nieces and nephews.
Relatives and friends were invited to gather in honor of Jean during visiting hours at Robinson Funeral Home, 809 Main St., Melrose on Sunday, May 7 from 2 to 5 p.m. and on Monday at Trinity Episcopal Church, 131 W. Emerson St., Melrose, for her funeral service celebrated at 10 a.m.
Gifts in memory of Jean may be made to Trinity Episcopal Church, 131 W. Emerson St., Melrose, MA 02176
For online tribute visit RobinsonFuneralHome.com
