Jean Elizabeth Cottrell, 77, of East End St. John passed away unexpectantly on April 7, 2026.
Born December 7, 1948, to Suzanne and Stanley Doublsky in Trenton, NJ, she graduated from Douglas College at Rutgers University where she met her future husband Stephen (Steve) Cottrell.
Jean taught French at Sayreville, NJ high school before the couple moved first to Chicago and then to Palo Alto, CA. She was a librarian at Stanford while Steve researched at NASA.
Eventually they returned to the East Coast, residing in the Rockaway section of Brooklyn. Jean earned a master’s in business administration at Fordham before becoming a paralegal with one of most prestigious law firms in Manhattan, and later a director of human resources. Steve taught at CUNY Brooklyn.
Several vacations to St. John in the late 80’s, including camping at Cinnamon Bay, led to their retirement to the island in the mid-90’s. They bought a beautiful oceanfront house on the bluffs of far East End that became their cherished home for nearly 30 years.
Jean was an excellent cook and as in New York she delighted in being the hostess with the mostest. The great room at East End was the scene of many lavish, often large dinner parties. There were memorable theme nights, as well as Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve and Day celebrations.
The couple’s love of plants made them enthusiastic contributors to the Audubon’s annual plant sales.
For many years she explored the interior of St. John with the Happy Wanderers hiking group and as a member of the St. John Historical Society.
Jean volunteered wholeheartedly for the annual Flotilla benefit for Coral Bay’s Kids and the Sea program. She also volunteered at Guy Benjamin School with remedial reading for the students.
Her love of animals led to her tremendous support for animal rights groups including the Animal Care Center of St. John.
In addition to being an active member of her neighborhood homeowner’s association, Jean was also an avid knitter and crocheter.
Jean undoubtably will be remembered not only for her hospitality and community activism, but for her indomitable personality, love of friends and her island home.
She is survived by her husband, Stephen, and her sister, Joanne Doublsky of Manchester, New Jersey.
Her remains will be scattered on her property at a future date.
