Gardiner-Jean Eugenie Simonyi Tibbetts died on Sept. 2, 2015, at the Maine General Medical Center in Augusta, a few weeks before her 95th birthday.

She was born in Manhattan, New York City, to Laszlo Simonyi and Jean Webster Edgar Simonyi. Her father Lazslo was a Hungarian immigrant who worked for a British bank. Jean's mother Jean Edgar was a talented Bohemian artist of Scotch-Irish descent whose family owned a construction company. Together her parents operated a successful art and theatrical scenery studio in New York City called Javan Studios.

Jean graduated from The Dalton School in New York City. As a child of the Depression, her experience attending a privileged school as a scholarship student amongst the children of New York's wealthy impacted her life. She subsequently attended and graduated from New York City's renown Cooper Union School where she earned a four-year degree.

She met and married Kendrick Beane Tibbetts of Keene, New Hampshire, in New York City. Ken was employed in New York City as an accountant for Charles Rittenhouse & Co., having been transferred from the company's Boston office. Ken and Jean met when Ken was auditing Javan Studios. Her father Laszlo Simonyi brought Ken home for dinner to meet his daughter. Jean encouraged Ken to graduate from NYU and earn his CPA. 

Ken's family hailed from Searsmont, Spruce Head, and Palermo in central Maine.

Jean's family owned a seaside cottage in Southport, so Jean, a summer resident, and Ken were united in their love of Maine and each other. Southport was Jean's favorite place in the world, a key part of her identity, and a place she considered home no matter where she currently lived. 

Jean and Ken were married at the Broadway Congregational Church in New York City on July 29, 1949 , and lived in New York City until 1975 when they retired to the family's cottage on the coast of Southport. Together they ran a gift store in Boothbay Harbor, Two's Company, until it was sold in 1985.

Jean loved spending hours on the deck at her home in Southport, looking at the ocean, the boats that passed, lobsters being harvested, and the Cuckolds Lighthouse. She enjoyed her summer friends on Blair Road and Grand View Road. It was very difficult for her when she could no longer independently live at her cottage in Southport.

Jean enjoyed reading The New York Times and staying current with world affairs until her eyesight and ability to read failed her at the end of her life. Each Sunday, reading The New York Times would entertain her for the following week. She had strong opinions about most things. 

After her husband Ken died in 2004, she lived with her daughter Mary Tibbetts and and son-in-law Ed Dahl in South Gardiner with with their collection of cats infamously known as the Hedgenettle Gang. Jean loved her companion cat Captain Hook "Cappy," a Birman who she adopted from the Lincoln County Animal Shelter.

Her proudest achievements were reflected by her twin daughters who both became medical doctors. 

Jean was predeceased by her parents, her sister Joan Plishner, and her husband Kendrick Beane Tibbetts. She is survived by her daughter, Mary W. Tibbetts, MD, MBA (Edward Dahl, Commander, Supply Corps, USN, ret.) of South Gardiner; her daughter Jean H. Tibbetts, MD (Richard Lenz, MD) of Bangor; and her favorite niece Jane Plishner Barber (Stephen H. Barber) of Harpswell/Hendersonville, North Carolina/Roxbury, Connecticut.

Jean's family expresses their thanks to the wonderful physicians who provided her medical care: Dr. Ramon Cheleuitte of Augusta Internal Medicine, Dr. Magioncalda of MaineGeneral Medical Center, and Dr. Jeffrey Moore of the Maine Eye Center. 

Jean's family would also like to thank the staff at Aging Excellence in Augusta, particularly Sandra P., Jenny L., and Sandra VW., who provided Jean with loving care and who allowed her to remain at home with her family until the end. 

In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to the Kennebec Valley Humane Society and/or to the Lincoln County Animal Shelter.

Final arrangements are being handled by the Staples Funeral Home in Gardiner. An online guestbook may be signed and memories shared at www.staplesfuneral home.com. Her ashes will be scattered at Pip's Bluff during a private family event.