Obituary for Al Jette
Al (Alfred) Jette was born in Springfield, Massachusetts to Mary (Tebaldi) and Charles Jette. He grew up surrounded by a large extended family of cousins, aunts, and uncles. He met Diane (Ursprung) when they were in the 7th grade, though they didn’t start dating until high school. They were married in 1971.
Al has a baccalaureate degree from University of Illinois Chicago and a master’s degree from the University of Vermont. He found meaningful work in the software consulting industry, working in several companies before helping to develop a successful consulting business with his close friends and colleagues at Legacy Technology. He ended his career working at Ab Initio, making many more new friends.
He enjoyed backpacking, coaching and refereeing youth soccer, cheering loudly at his children’s sports games, traveling, reading, singing old camp songs learned at Elliot P. Joslin Camp for Diabetic Boys, writing long letters and emails, crushing his opponents in Trivial Pursuit, cooking, sharing poems, playing cribbage, and being with his grandchildren. He was known to have a loud, boisterous laugh, to cry with ease (particularly at the sappiest commercials), and to argue emphatically.
If you know his story, you know that Al lived more than 9 lives. He owes many of those “extra” lives to the countless dedicated health care workers who brought him back from the brink again and again over his 72 years, and for whom Al’s family is forever grateful. He was also supported in his quest for a good life by live kidney donations from his sister, Sandy, in 1989 and his son, Aaron, in 2005. Most recently our thanks go to his long-time attending physicians at MGH in endocrinology, cardiology and renal transplant, and the teams in the SICU (physicians, nurses, care attendants and environmental service workers) who are the most compassionate and caring people you could hope to know.
Al leaves behind his wife of nearly 52 years, Diane, son Aaron (Sarah Marie) of Belmont, son Adam (Elizabeth Kouri) of Altadena, California, daughter Marie (Jesse Perreault) of Denver, Colorado, grandchildren Io Jette-Kouri, Abraham Jette-Kouri, Sol Jette, Yannick Perreault, Cortez Jette, Sacha Perreault, and Frida Jette; sister Sandy Crowley of Agawam and many nieces, nephews, and siblings in-law who loved him like a brother. He was predeceased by his parents.
Donations in Al’s memory can be made to The Barton Center for Diabetes Education (www.bartoncenter.org) to support children with diabetes who want to attend summer camp. Elliot P. Joslin Camp was an integral part of Al’s childhood, and without scholarships he would not have been able to attend. A celebration of life will be held at First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, 630 Massachusetts Ave, Arlington, MA on Saturday, April 15th at 11am. We hope you will come to share memories of Al.
Al has a baccalaureate degree from University of Illinois Chicago and a master’s degree from the University of Vermont. He found meaningful work in the software consulting industry, working in several companies before helping to develop a successful consulting business with his close friends and colleagues at Legacy Technology. He ended his career working at Ab Initio, making many more new friends.
He enjoyed backpacking, coaching and refereeing youth soccer, cheering loudly at his children’s sports games, traveling, reading, singing old camp songs learned at Elliot P. Joslin Camp for Diabetic Boys, writing long letters and emails, crushing his opponents in Trivial Pursuit, cooking, sharing poems, playing cribbage, and being with his grandchildren. He was known to have a loud, boisterous laugh, to cry with ease (particularly at the sappiest commercials), and to argue emphatically.
If you know his story, you know that Al lived more than 9 lives. He owes many of those “extra” lives to the countless dedicated health care workers who brought him back from the brink again and again over his 72 years, and for whom Al’s family is forever grateful. He was also supported in his quest for a good life by live kidney donations from his sister, Sandy, in 1989 and his son, Aaron, in 2005. Most recently our thanks go to his long-time attending physicians at MGH in endocrinology, cardiology and renal transplant, and the teams in the SICU (physicians, nurses, care attendants and environmental service workers) who are the most compassionate and caring people you could hope to know.
Al leaves behind his wife of nearly 52 years, Diane, son Aaron (Sarah Marie) of Belmont, son Adam (Elizabeth Kouri) of Altadena, California, daughter Marie (Jesse Perreault) of Denver, Colorado, grandchildren Io Jette-Kouri, Abraham Jette-Kouri, Sol Jette, Yannick Perreault, Cortez Jette, Sacha Perreault, and Frida Jette; sister Sandy Crowley of Agawam and many nieces, nephews, and siblings in-law who loved him like a brother. He was predeceased by his parents.
Donations in Al’s memory can be made to The Barton Center for Diabetes Education (www.bartoncenter.org) to support children with diabetes who want to attend summer camp. Elliot P. Joslin Camp was an integral part of Al’s childhood, and without scholarships he would not have been able to attend. A celebration of life will be held at First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, 630 Massachusetts Ave, Arlington, MA on Saturday, April 15th at 11am. We hope you will come to share memories of Al.