THE JEANNE A. TOOMBS 
MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Born in Newton, Massachusetts in 1948, Jeanne Alice Toombs was the daughter of the late Enest and Agnes Toombs, sister of Linda Hossfeld and Kimberly Beach Flint. Jeanne loved music. While growing up in Concord, Jeanne organized carol singing at Christmastime with her sisters, Linda and Nancy, and neighborhood children, a tradition that continued for many years. A life-long resident of Concord, Jeanne graduated from Concord Carlisle High School in 1966, where she was an avid participant in many musical activities: accompanying soloists, choruses, and musicals and singing in chorus, select chorus, and madrigals. Jeanne graduated from William Smith College, and then was awarded a piano teaching assistantship at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, where she earned her Master of Music degree.

After a few years of teaching music at Douglas Elementary School in Acton MA, she opened her own studio in Concord, teaching piano full time. Jeanne had the pleasure of teaching hundreds of students of all ages for over three decades. Her chosen career allowed her to fulfill her loves of people, music, piano, and teaching. She created a safe, relaxed space for learning, with lots of laughter. Jeanne was a supportive, patient, and caring teacher who believed that music builds self-esteem, improves intelligence, helps form friendships, and places a student on a path of self expression, achievement and joy that lasts a lifetime.

The family and friends of Jeanne Alice Toombs established this fund after her death in 2008 to encourage other young musicians to pursue their careers in teaching and performance.  Award preference will be given to CCHS graduates who have demonstrated avid participation in the music programs at the high school and in the greater Boston Area, with particular consideration given to students with a demonstrated interest in music education or in the performing arts