Jean Tochterman to Celebrate her 90th

Special to the Patriot-Bridge

Charlestown is an everybody-knows-everybody kind of neighborhood, but really, everyone knows Jean Tochterman. Born and raised in Charlestown, there are few committees, organizations, and people that Jean hasn’t touched.

This year, Jean reaches a milestone occasion – her 90th birthday on July 7 – and continues to serve as an inspiration for the energy and enthusiasm we all hope to have at her age.

Having spent 89 of her 90 years in Charlestown – we don’t talk about that one year in Somerville – Jean has possibly some of the best accounts of how the neighborhood has changed from 1936 to present day. She has countless stories of running down to the Navy Yard with friends to play on the USS Constitution as a child, getting sent back home at dark by the crew of the ship.

As a young adult, Jean worked at Mass Bonding, then Boston Filter in Charlestown as an operator. She attended Katharine Gibbs Secretarial College before kicking off a long career in Accounts Payable at the Boston Globe. Over 34 years at the Globe, Jean made countless lifelong friends before retiring in 1998. She thoroughly enjoyed her retirement, spending lots of time with family, including her elderly mother, who she lived and traveled the country with, and her nephews and niece, who she continues to share a close bond with today. Never one to back away from a worthy cause, she became involved in countless Charlestown organizations, working to support the betterment of the community as part of Courageous Sailing, the Charlestown Waterfront Coalition, Bunker Hill Monument Association, and Friends of the Charlestown Navy Yard, to name a few.

Retirement was only temporary. At 82 years old, Jean walked into an FCNY event that was being held at DC Beane and Associates Construction on Pier 3 and noticed there was no receptionist. She’d love to work there, she let David Beane know, and he laughed and told her the job was all hers. A few weeks later, The Ride dropped Jean off at the door at 8 AM sharp and thus began her second career as an admin for the local firm. At 90, Jean remains a valued piece of the DCBA team, welcoming visitors, redirecting lost tourists, and making sure staff remain well-informed and well-fed. When offered an extra day off, she lets you know she’d rather not.

As we head into a month of milestone celebrations, it’s only fitting that we celebrate Jean as well. Happy 90th Birthday Jean! Thank you for nine decades of making Charlestown a better place. Cheers to many more years of your sharp sense of humor, endless stories from the past, and unwavering dedication to the community you call home. It wouldn’t be the same without you.