St. Jean, J. Ernest

J. Ernest St. Jean, of South Dartmouth, affectionately known as “Ernie” or “Saint,” died peacefully in his sleep on October 2, 2023, after a prolonged illness. He was the loving husband of Carole Jeanne (Young) for 53 years.

Born in Providence, RI, he was the eldest son of the late J. Ernest and Gloria (Beaudoin) St. Jean. Ernie spent his formative years in Canton and became an active and longtime member of the community. He and Carole and their family later moved to the seaside town of Hull, where they enjoyed ocean views and bay breezes. More recently, he and his wife resided in South Dartmouth.

Ernie’s dedication to lifelong learning began upon graduation from Canton High School and continued with his studies at Providence College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. Not surprisingly, he pursued further coursework at the University of Nebraska. Even more rewarding for him than his studies was the opportunity to return to his high school alma mater and devote nearly 35 years to the students of CHS.

A beloved teacher, Ernie was a true trailblazer. He organized and directed the school’s first trip to Spain, much to the delight of his students. He is also credited with creating the school’s first television studio and courses where students learned firsthand how to broadcast and create televised productions. He worked closely with the local cable network to ensure that his students would have hands-on experiences in this media format. He fielded many teams of students over the years to cover the high school’s numerous sporting events and activities, along with coverage of local public meetings. Students under “Saint’s” supervision could express their own unique creative talents that he nurtured and encouraged.

During his long and fulfilling career, Ernie, who was fluent in Spanish and French, also taught English, along with some Spanish courses, in addition to his television studio classes. His background in languages and his generous heart inspired him to host students from Spain and France at his home and to volunteer as a chaperone for many of the exchange students’ cultural activities while they were visiting.

His dynamic energy and depth of caring for his students also extended to the arena of sports where he served as the freshman ice hockey coach and varsity assistant for 25 years. His service was duly recognized when he was honored by the Massachusetts State Hockey Coaches’ Association as Assistant Coach of the Year. He cared deeply about his students and players; long after his retirement, he took the time to attend CHS sporting events. His contributions to sports also included stints coaching some of the school’s track and field teams. He even tried his hand at coaching sailing at Hingham High School.

His boundless energy to juggle all of these commitments did not stop there. He delved into numerous areas of intellectual interests: philosophy, all genres of literature — especially poetry, the theater, and music ranging from piano concertos, to classical music and opera, and even French ballads.

While he thoroughly enjoyed reading and discussing a “good” book or taking in an entertaining movie, his favorite and most fulfilling pastime was being with his family and especially with his grandchildren whom he adored. He was very proud of them all.

He was the loving father of Sonya R. Rice and her husband, Randy, of Lutz, FL; Rachel S. Kolosky and her husband, Chris, of Santa Rosa Beach, FL; and Marc A. St. Jean and his wife, Amanda (Tai), of South Easton. He was the cousin to Janet Parenteau of Indialantic, FL. He was “Bubba” to Ariane, Nate, and Myra Rice; C. J. and Kyla Kolosky; and Ethan and Geoffrey St. Jean. He is survived by his brothers Paul J. St. Jean and his wife, Marylou, of Warwick, RI, Thomas A. St. Jean and his wife, Sharon, of Danvers, and one sister, Lea St. Jean of Warwick, RI.

Services will be private. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Ernie’s memory may be made to a charity of your choice.

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Posted by Canton Citizen on Oct 5 2023. Filed under Obituaries. Both comments and pings are currently closed.