Jeannette L. Enderson

Jeannette Lucille Enderson (Nee Lavoie) died peacefully at her home in Berwyn Heights, MD, on Friday, May 24, surrounded by family and loved ones. She was 99 years old. She is survived by her 6 children: William (Cindy), Robert (Deborah), Cecile, Alan, Paula (Khalid), Suzanne; nine grandchildren; four great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

Jeannette was born in the White Mountains of New Hampshire in Littleton on a bucolic dairy farm along the Connecticut River on Sept. 23, 1924. Part of a large French-Canadian Catholic family, Jeannette grew up with her parents, Wilfred and Cecile, brothers, Joe, Bert, Ben, Charlie and Maurice and sister, Helen. Like many French Catholic girls of that era, her official first name was Marie, same as her sister's. But she was always known as Jeannette.

In the 1930s, her father moved the farm to nearby Bethlehem, NH, when the Rural Electrification Act bought the property to build Moore Dam, rechristening the farm "Lotta Rock Dairy Farm." Quite a few glacial boulders littered the fields, remnants of the last Ice Age. She remembers when electricity came to the farm a few years later - an event that she said 'changed everything' about life. The first items her mother bought were an iron and a washing machine. These simple appliances had a profound impact on life on the farm, freeing up countless hours previously spent washing by hand to do other chores around the farm. Jeannette said the only thing that had the impact of electricity was the advent of the Internet.  

Growing up, Jeannette enjoyed the outdoors. She enjoyed cross-country skiing in the White Mountains, swimming and boating on Partridge Lake where her father and brothers built a charming cottage. She spoke often of everyone climbing into a horse-drawn carriage (or a sleigh during the winter) to go see "grandmere" and spend a day at the lake. On the way home, her father would drop the reins and the horse would walk back to the farm - the original self-driving vehicle.

Her first school was a one-room schoolhouse. While she and her family spoke French at home, Jeannette and her siblings learned English at school. Later she was the president of her senior class at Bethlehem High - granted, there were only four people in her graduating class. All the while, Jeannette continued to work on the farm and at her father's dairy bar.

When World War II broke out, Jeannette did her part for the war effort working in a defense plant in Massachusetts. Later she graduated from University of New Hampshire, paying her own way through school to become the first woman in her family to attend college. Jeannette went on to teach at Laurelton Hall, a private girls' boarding school in Milford, Connecticut. Between the camaraderie of the school, fulfilling work, and life-long friendships with teachers and students alike, she regarded her time teaching as one of the most rewarding periods in her life.

In the 1950s, she followed childhood friend Helen Hogarth, a telegraph operator, to Washington, D.C. In 1956, Gladys LaHout, a LIttleton store owner, introduced Jeannette to Alton R. Enderson, a young Korean War veteran who also was from Littleton. Soon they were married in a ceremony at her parents' farm house. The couple started a family, having six children between 1957 and 1965: Her husband predeceased her in 1998.

Jeannette was very active in Berwyn Heights, her Washington, DC area home. She was on the recreation council and was a founder of the Indian Creek Walking Trail, a very popular and heavily used bike and walking trail that now connects to 100s of miles of trails in the D.C. area. Jeannette was also very active with the Berwyn Heights Senior Center, serving as the organization's secretary for many years. She was once voted "Friendliest Person In Town" and rode in a Model T with former Berwyn Heights Elementary School principal Marion Farwell in the town's parade. 

Jeannette spent every summer on the family farm. First it was she and Alton bringing their children, who loved visiting their grandparents. Later her children, grandchildren, then great grandchildren continued to visit every summer - all were welcome and felt at home. Situated on Old Franconia Road, Lotta Rock was a place of peaceful splendor and almost sacred serenity. The wide, tawny hay fields, deeply wooded hills and impressive views of Mt. Lafayette and Mt. Washington always attracted visitors. But mostly they came to visit family. Jeannette's brothers and sister, her nieces and nephews, their children - generations of family and friends could be found congregating on the front porch or hanging out in the kitchen. Many would call it “the most beautiful place on Earth."

Jennette loved classical music, particularly opera, and had a fondness for Soprano Rene Fleming. Over her long life span she had the fortuitousness to recognize great acts and saw The Von Trapp Family Singers, the Andrews sisters, and even the original Buster Brown and his dog Tig in person. She had a vast knowledge of birds, wildlife, and the various flora and fauna. She knew which mushrooms you could eat, and, more importantly, which ones you couldn't. Jeannette was a voracious reader and wordsmith. She was unbeatable in Scrabble and UpWords. She would let you think you had a chance of winning early on in the game. But, in the end, she always won. She finished the Sunday New York Times and Washington Post crossword puzzles every week. She also had a "wicked" sense of humor telling jokes, and enjoyed singing many college fight songs.

 Jeannette was a pioneering woman and ahead of her time. She made her own decisions, took chances and lived life on her terms. Commonplace now but almost radical in her day. But the most-notable and admirable quality about Jeannette was her acceptance of people. She believed every human being has an inherent dignity and deserves respect and love just as they are, just for being themselves. Her liberal politics and love of her fellow man were revealed in random and intentional acts of kindness, defense of the weak and acceptance of the different. She always supported and encouraged people to be brave, think and act freely and stand up for what's right.  

Her children and grand- and great-grandchildren will miss her and always think fondly of her, recall her wisdom, follow her example of being kind, accepting, loving and gracious with everyone they meet. Jeannette will have a lasting impact and foster the warmest memories in all who ever met her and knew her. 

We love you, mom.