Jean L. Moore

Jean L. Moore, 87, of Newport, Rhode Island, formerly of South Africa, died on July 29, 2026 with her daughter by her side. She was the wife of the late Harman Moore.

Born in Port Shepstone, South Africa on October 9, 1938, She was the daughter of the late Harold and Gladys (Kippen) Dennis. She grew up in South Africa with modest means, but a wealth of determination and wit. She and Harman worked hard to provide a loving home that was full of laughter, adventure and family time.

Just a few months after settling into a new home on the coast, Harman died unexpectedly. Jean was not ready to give up on herself, she set up a guest house and managed all maintenance and hospitality. She enjoyed 10 years of this life in South Africa, until the news of Annie's third child came.

Jean moved to Newport and found a community with all of Annie's friends, neighbors and the schoolmates of Jono, Kate and Julia. She loved the new home she had in Newport. Resourceful, selfless, and ferocious, Jean always had a wealth of time and talent to offer anyone in need.

For a kid in the neighborhood, Jean was known as Grandma or Grannie Jean. Jean's sun-filled room facing the backyard was a paradise for the kids that grew up on Harrison Ave. She always knew when to sneak a piece of candy to you, whether it was after getting the wind knocked out of you falling off the zip line or if it wasn't your turn to choose the movie. If you scruffed your pants, Jean was on the back deck, at the ready with needle and thread.

For those who were less focused on scoring a Smarties packet, Jean's room was also where you could find your next great read. Books were stashed in every corner she could find in her room; she read 3 or 4 books a week, as well as the weekly paper. Any visit with Jean came with the requirement of leaving with one of her books.

Jean had a magic touch with seemingly everything: gardening, flower arranging, cooking and sewing. You name it, she had a story or a tutorial on the subject that could spin any everyday task into a delight.

After her ritual of a Sundowner (a South African tradition), Jean would reel in everyone at the dinner table with a story, almost fantasy-like, of her time back in South Africa. For kids that grew up in Newport, they all were expecting tales of lions and rhinos. But every story always came back to her family. Her late husband Harman, siblings, children and grandchildren, and her home country sprinkled into every single one of them.

Jean is survived by her daughter with whom she lived, Ann Guinan of Newport, her son Allan Moore of South Africa, and her three surviving brothers in South Africa, Claude, Patrick, and Colin Dennis. She will be dearly missed by her beloved grandchildren: Jono, Kate, and Julia Guinan, and Alicia Watkins of Australia, and many nieces and nephews, along with many children and adults in the 5th ward where she was everyone's favorite Granny.

Jean is preceded in death by her husband Harman Moore, her parents, and her brothers Noel and Arthur Dennis, and a sister Monica Lourens.

A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, August 25, 2026 at 2:00 pm at Emmanuel Church, 42 Dearborn St, Newport.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts in Jean Moore's memory may be made to Emmanuel Church, 42 Dearborn Street, Newport, RI 02840, in support of its work in building community for all of Newport. Visit www.emmanuelnewport.org, or give directly at www.emmanuelnewport.org/donate

Online Tribute at www.memorialfuneralhome.com