Jean Hopkins Sargent of Vineyard Haven, formerly of Needham, died on Feb. 21.

She grew up in Newton and graduated from the Dana Hall School and Mt. Holyoke College, where she sang with the V8s, an a cappella group. Jean taught English and history at the Walnut Hill School before meeting Richard Sargent, to whom she was married until 1972. Very proud of her anti-war efforts in the 1960s, Jean participated in the Moratorium March on Washington in 1969. She began a long career improving the lives of disabled children in 1973, when she helped create the Bailies Beginning Center in Canton. Jean founded the Cole-Harrington Preschool in 1977. She was a case manager and children’s advocate for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health until her retirement to Martha’s Vineyard in 2000. Jean continued to work with children on the Vineyard, reading with young students long into her retirement.

She loved sunsets at Menemsha and her view of the ferry from her Adirondack chair at Havenside. Her many neighbors there were a great source of friendship and strength. She was a knitter of great repute, turning out untold numbers of beautiful sweaters, socks and baby blankets. She was known especially for creating birthday “spiderwebs” and her customized Christmas stockings that are impossible to completely fill.

She is survived by, and missed by, her daughter Laura Hall, Laura’s husband Brian and their children Ethan and Grace of Edgartown; her daughter Anne Arcano, husband Stephen, and their sons Ben, Henry, and Sam, of Bronxville, N.Y., and her son Stephen Sargent, his wife Mary, and their sons Nate of Nashua, N.H., Greg of Burlington, Vt., and Drew of Kochi, Japan. Jean’s brother Roland Hopkins of Plymouth and sisters Vicki Donlan of Hingham and Lauri Webster of Clearwater. Fla., also miss her. Jean looked forward to joining family members who are deceased, including her parents, Stephen and Jane Hopkins, and her youngest grandson Lucas Hall.

A memorial service will be held at the First Congregational Church in West Tisbury on March 20 at 4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to Hope Hospice, 765 Attucks Lane, Hyannis, MA 02601.