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Jean Watt has passed: Celebrating the Life of OC's Ultimate Grassroots Activist
VoiceOfOCShe logged perhaps more volunteer hours than anyone in Orange County history.
Starting with the Girl Scouts in the 1950s in Newport Beach, Jean Watt went on to become one of Orange County’s most active and effective grassroots community leaders, becoming an environmental activist over Back Bay clean up issues in the 1970s and eventually serving two terms on the city council in the 1980s.
As a retiree, she helped save Orange County’s county park system along with leading countless ballot measures over the years that created a robust collection of protected open space public lands across the region.
Watt passed peacefully at age 96 in her Newport Beach home at noon on Sunday.
Known for her quiet demeanor and polite persistence when it came to public policy, Watt continually helped bring large, diverse coalitions of residents together and mentor them to do great things.
Starting with the Girl Scouts in the 1950s in Newport Beach, Jean Watt went on to become one of Orange County’s most active and effective grassroots community leaders, becoming an environmental activist over Back Bay clean up issues in the 1970s and eventually serving two terms on the city council in the 1980s.
As a retiree, she helped save Orange County’s county park system along with leading countless ballot measures over the years that created a robust collection of protected open space public lands across the region.
Watt passed peacefully at age 96 in her Newport Beach home at noon on Sunday.
Known for her quiet demeanor and polite persistence when it came to public policy, Watt continually helped bring large, diverse coalitions of residents together and mentor them to do great things.
One of my heroes, she would have us celebrate, not mourn.
