MANCHESTER – She was a high school teacher, author and strong proponent of journalism and she was a fixture within the township school district.
Jill Ocone died recently and the Manchester Township School Superintendent Diane Pedroza described her as a “cherished member of the high school faculty and a gifted English teacher who was also a beloved mentor, colleague and friend.”
Pedroza also noted that she faced “a courageous battle with a rare form of cancer and had passed away peacefully, surrounded by those who loved her.”
“Throughout her illness, Jill remained the embodiment of grace, resilience and hope. She often signed her messages with the phrase “love and light,” a reflection of the warmth, positivity and compassion she brought to everyone around her. Jill’s legacy will live on in the countless students she inspired and the lives she touched so deeply,” the statement added.
“This loss will be felt across our entire school district. In order to support our students and staff during this time of grief, grief counselors and the Traumatic Loss Coalition will be available on Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Manchester Township High School,” Pedroza added.
Her family will honor her life and incredible legacy on August 4 at the Orender Family Home for Funerals in Manasquan from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. A repast will follow at the Lobster Shanty in Point Pleasant Beach.
Pedroza noted that Ocone had “a deep love for literature and an unwavering dedication to her students and her spirit of ‘love and light.’”
“Jill Ocone was a truly remarkable educator whose passion for teaching and writing left an indelible mark on our school community. She brought creativity, empathy, and unwavering dedication into her classroom each day, inspiring both students and colleagues alike,” Pedroza added.
She also noted that “Jill’s quiet strength and generous spirit touched the lives of so many, and her absence will be deeply felt across the school district. We are heartbroken by this loss, but we will continue to honor her legacy by carrying forward the kindness, courage, and love of learning she shared with all of us.”
“Jill Ocone was an amazing teacher, who not only inspired students to reach their potential, but also embraced the unique spirit of each student. She was a champion for veterans in the community and is the driving force behind the high school’s Wall of Honor. Jill’s heart, humor, and dedication have made a lasting impact on her colleagues and friends in the building. While we are heartbroken by her loss, we will keep her positivity and light with us.” District Director of Curriculum Tracey Raimondo said.
Archived Photo: Author and Manchester English/journalism teacher Jill Ocone does some research for her book in Dublin. (Photo courtesy Jill Ocone)
Last year, Ocone was interviewed by The Manchester Times about her book, “Enduring the Waves.” Her book did feature some similarities between herself and her lead character but there were also many differences.
Ocone, of Point Pleasant, shared her thoughts about the writing process and how the discipline of being a long-time teacher helped her unravel the plot of her book. She was also inspired by her trips to Ireland which served as the backdrop of the story.
“As a writer you get ideas all the time. I had traveled to Ireland in August 2014. I had lost a good friend of mine and when I was there, I thought I saw her three times in the crowd which was kind of interesting. I let it sit and then I started to see these signs pointing me to go back to Dublin – which I did three more times without any idea of what I was doing there. What I ended up doing there was for the book that came out of my experiences.”
She said in that interview, “the story is fictional. I had a symbol that guided me and it was in a dream I had and I didn’t know what it meant. When the book got published, I said I would get that tattooed on me because I didn’t know what it was when I had it in my dream.”
Jill Ocone (Photo by Jennifer Peacock)
“There was a message in the dream about writing something, and what I found out is that it is a triskelion and it has various meanings. It can mean father, son, holy spirit; or mother, maiden, crone; and it can also mean past, present, future; or life, death and rebirth.”
“That is how I incorporated it into my book. Part one of the book is the past or life, and part two is the present or death, and part three is the future or rebirth. It all goes down to this symbol and the whole idea is that you can restart your life at any point,” Ocone said.
“It is also to value the moment you are currently in and the value of the present moment which people really don’t understand and even I have to get a little better on – savoring the moment for what it is,” she said adding that writing her book, had been “been quite a journey.” The same could be said of her life and in the way she inspired students and touched the lives of those around her.
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