Jean Nugent Fleming Roosa

Jean Nugent Fleming Roosa, of West Chester, PA, formerly of Paoli, PA, passed away on January 7, 2023, age 96 years. Born in Oxford, NC on June 25, 1926, Jean was the youngest child and only daughter of Leonard Bullock Fleming and Gemma Holmes Hopkins. Jean grew up in North Carolina and attended the Women’s College in Greensboro, where she majored in mathematics. Jean received a B.A. in mathematics upon graduation in May of 1948. Jean’s time at the Women’s College yielded a unique opportunity: she took advantage of the first-ever class offered by the college in Aeronautics. She was among seven women adventurous enough to learn to fly, receiving her ground training at the school and her in-flight training at the nearby Greensboro-High Point Airport. She flew a Piper Cub. She successfully completed her training and received her pilot’s license in June of 1948. After graduation, Jean applied her math skills to research at the David Taylor Model Basin in Bethesda, MD, a facility run by the United States Navy to investigate and refine the design of ships. There, she met her future husband, Lewis Roosa, whom she married on September 11, 1950. Jean and Lew stared a family that eventually grew to four children. As was common at the time, Lew went to work and Jean became a stay-at-home mother. This did not stop her from pursuing numerous activities outside of family life. She was active in the AAUW (American Association of University Women) throughout her life, and served as president of several chapters. She obtained a real estate license while living in Greenville, SC, where she sold several houses. She took an H&R Block tax preparation course, became a certified tax preparer and enrolled agent, and was recruited to manage a branch office for H&R Block in Ossining, NY. Later, she taught tax law to future real estate brokers to prepare them for their real estate exams. After moving to Paoli, PA in July, 1984, Jean began work at the Trading Post located in Paoli, a thrift shop that specialized in high-quality consigned and donated clothing, jewelry and household items, the proceeds of which supported cancer research at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, PA. She eventually became President of the Trading Post, serving two terms from June 1987 to June 1991. Under her management, the store saw significant increase in profits. In recognition of her work, the Fox Chase Board of Directors bestowed upon her the honor of Trading Post President Emeritus. Jean gave back to the Women’s College, now UNC Greensboro, with a generous donation in 2018 that established The Evergreen Student Award Fund that provides scholarships for deserving UNCG math students. Throughout her life, Jean traveled widely, including several trips to Europe and China. She was an accomplished word puzzle solver, an avid gardener, a bowling league regular, a financial wizard, and could play a mean game of Bridge. She loved the sunshine and the beach, never turned down ice cream, refused to wear white after Labor Day, corrected bad grammar both written and verbal, preferred cats over dogs, and took immense pride in finding a good bargain. Jean was predeceased in death by her husband, Lewis. She is survived by her children Douglas Roosa, Jane Feigin, Mark Roosa, and Margaret Bovaird, her five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held privately. If desired, memorial donations may be made in Jean’s memory to Evergreen Student Award Fund, P.O. Box 26170, Greensboro, NC 27412.