Jeannine E. Gardner

WHITEFIELD -



Dorothy Jeannine Gardner (Emerson) beloved wife of Ronald A Gardner.



Jeannine went home to be with the Lord, whom she loved and served, following a brief illness on June 29, 2016. She was born in Geneva, New York on August 2, 1933, the daughter of Ralph W. and Viola E. (Furness) Emerson.



She later graduated from Owego Free Academy, Owego, NY in 1950 after attending her first three years of high school at Newport High School in Newport, Vermont. On April 8, 1951, she married her high school sweetheart and life-long best friend, Ronald A. Gardner, who predeceased her on September 15, 2009.



To them were born four children, Dana R Gardner (wife Karen) of Tiverton, RI; Ronni Jean Fedele, who predeceased Jeannine on October 30, 2002; Laurie L Gardner (significant other Peter Kramer) of Reading, MA; and Glenn R Gardner (wife Lori Jo) of Littleton, NH.



She was blessed with 8 grandchildren whom she loved and prayed for; Heather Gardner, Andrea Kegelman, Jaclyn Paglia, Aaron Ward, Allison Fulford, Isaac Gardner, Cassady Hantz, and Reannan Young. Jeannine also enjoyed her 8 great-grandchildren; Brian Bourquez, Mia Buonarosa, Ronni Brynn Kegelman, Aaden Ward, Logan Ward, Chase Belisle, Emerson Fulford, and Garrett Cole; and would eagerly await updates of each one of them.



She is also survived by two sisters, Sherill Marciano (husband John) of Ramona, CA and Maryon Lopez of San Diego, CA. She was predeceased by another sister, Luann Harding of Caballo, NM.



Jean, as she was known to many, was an L.P.N. having graduated from Household Nursing Association School of Practical Nursing in Boston, MA in 1955. She later earned her Associates Degree in Nursing from Vermont College in 1987. An accomplishment of which she and her entire family were quite proud. She worked in various hospitals in MA, NY, TX, and VT and finished her career employed at Orleans and Northern Essex Home Health Agency of Newport, VT.



Among her many interests and passions, Jean was an avid reader. Right up until her death she would always have one and most often two different fiction novels, biographies, or historical narratives together with her cherished Bible under her purview. She was smart, well read and taught each of her children and several of her grand-children the joy of reading.



She also had a keen interest in both live theater and the cinema.  She fondly recalled when she was a young girl her mother, Viola, and she would sneak away from the rest of the family for Saturday matinees at the local movie house. She often spoke of those times as amongst her most favorite. Later on, her daughter Ronni Jean started a tradition that stands to this day of taking Jean to the Weathervane Theater to celebrate her birthday. After Ronni's passing, daughter Laurie willingly and happily carried on. She would always be so excited when the new schedule would come out each year as she would ponder which shows she would want to see and would be eager to share them with all of her family. Jean enjoyed acting herself and participated in drama and theater in her younger years.



In her own words, her greatest enjoyment was time she spent with her family and friends. Her deepest wish for them was that they might come to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord as she did and so to have an assurance of meeting together in heaven in His presence where she now awaits. She was an active member of the Whitefield Baptist Church, Whitefield, NH.



Arrangements are being managed by Bailey Funeral Home in Lancaster, NH. A celebration of life and memorial service will be held Saturday, August 6, 2016, at 11:00 am at the Whitefield Baptist Church with Pastor Greg Vigne officiating. Interment will take place at the Derby Center Cemetery in Derby, VT at a date to be determined by the family.



While Jean loved flowers and particularly her colorful annuals, the family has asked that in lieu of flowers donations may be made to either the Whitefield Baptist Church or The Weathervane Theater in her memory.