Obituary of Jean A. Batchelder

Jean Batchelder passed away early Saturday morning on July 4th. She was born in Brooklyn, New York and was married to Robert Batchelder for 38 years. For more than twenty years they lived in Somerville, NJ where she was the Women's Editor for the Somerset Messenger Gazette. When her husband Robert was transferred to Jacksonville, Florida, she became the Social Editor for the Ponte Vedra Recorder. Her column, Footprints in the Sand, chronicled the social events of the Ponte Vedra Beach community and included interviews with Barbara Walters and Arnold Palmer. Six years ago she moved to Centerbridge 2 in Bridgewater to be nearer to family. She is survived by her son, Richard Batchelder, of Torrington, Connecticut, and his wife Carey Garrison, her daughter, Debby Seme of Martinsville, NJ and her husband, Bill, and five grandchildren, Bryan Batchelder and his wife Emily of Clayton, North Carolina, Robin Batchelder of Tariffville, Connecticut, Ben Batchelder and his wife Ashley of Stratford, Connecticut, Walter Seme of Martinsville, NJ, Grace Seme of Brookline, Massachusetts, and two great-grandsons, Elliot and Jackson Batchelder. A viewing will be held at the Higgins Funeral Home in Watchung, NJ on Monday, July 6th from 4 to 6 pm, followed by a Mass at Blessed Sacrament Church in Martinsville, NJ at 10 am on Tuesday.