Alexia (Lexie) Jumper, age 77, passed away at her home in Yarmouth, MA on December 22, 2021, peacefully with her local family by her side.

Lexie was born in Dobbs Ferry, NY, and grew up in Throgs Neck, NY. She was the middle daughter of Alexander A. and Molly F. (Paino) Shanley. Her sisters are Mary Ann Jackson, Ann Marie Smith, Maria Niemiec, and Ann Auer. After high school, she obtained an associate degree in business from Elizabeth Seaton College, Yonkers NY in 1964, followed by a bachelor’s degree in business education at the University of Dayton, Ohio in 1966.

While in Dayton, in addition to making friends for life with her 9 housemates, she met USAF Lt. George Y. Jumper, Jr. They were married at St. Francis de Chantal Church in Throgs Neck, followed by a honeymoon trip to their first assignment together at McClellan AFB, Sacramento, California. Their first child Kevin Michael was born in Sacramento. After 2 years they were transferred back to Wright Patterson AFB in Dayton where their second child, Geoffrey Alexander, was born. Lexie was a devoted Air Force Wife and mother. Following Dayton, they moved to Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque New Mexico, where she did some high school teaching and joined her good friend in founding a stained-glass art company.

Following Albuquerque, George was assigned to teach at the US Military Academy, West Point, NY. Lexie’s widowed mother had moved to Fishkill, NY, which is only slightly more than a half hour drive from West Point. All her sisters lived not that far away at the time, so it was a wonderful Shanley family reunion for three years. When George retired from the Air Force, they moved to Spencer, MA, where Lexie found a great job applying her business skills at the Spencer Savings Bank. She was active in our parish, Mary, Queen of Rosary, on the finance committee and serving as a eucharistic minister. Through her job, our church, and our neighbors, she made many very special friends.

During this time, Kevin moved to Merritt Island Florida, where he married Rachelle and gave us a granddaughter, Keira, step grandson Collin, and step grandnephew, Luke. Son Geoff settled on Cape Cod where he married Michelle, and gave us grandchildren: Marlo, Gradyn, and Mila. When first grandchild Marlo was born, we decided to settle on Cape Cod, and Lexie focused on assisting in Marlo’s upbringing. She lived her life as a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother.

For the last two years, she has fought cancer assisted by our doctors at the Cape Cod Hospital, and for the last 6 months in hospice care at home with wonderful assistance by the nurses and aides of the Visiting Nurse Association of Cape Cod.

Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, January 6, 2022 at 11:00am at Saint Pius X Catholic Church, Station Ave, South Yarmouth. Interment will be held on Thursday, January 6, 2022 at 1:15pm at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Visiting Nurse Association of Cape Cod, 255 Independence Drive, Hyannis, MA 02601 or St. Pius X Catholic Church, 5 Barbara Street, South Yarmouth, MA 02664.

Lexie was a transfer student at the University of Dayton. She immediately settled in the dorm with our group of friends, then moved off campus with us. Imagine 9 girls living peacefully in an old house, cooking, laughing a lot, learning to use an old fashioned writer washer in the basement, hanging our clothes out to dry. We laughed a lot, danced, studied, and laughed some more. I feel honored to have been a friend of hers.

Lexie was a transfer student at the University of Dayton. She immediately settled in the dorm with our group of friends, then moved off campus with us. Imagine 9 girls living peacefully in an old house, cooking, laughing a lot, learning to use an old fashioned writer washer in the basement, hanging our clothes out to dry. We laughed a lot, danced, studied, and laughed some more. I feel honored to have been a friend of hers.

A moms hug lasts long after she lets go. Much love to the Jumper family.