Jeannette D. (DeGroft) Giles

CELEBRATION OF LIFE For JEAN GILES Saturday, September 11, 2021 2:00 – 5:00 P.M. Memorial Service at 3:00 P.M. Fellowship and Remembrances with light snacks and beverages at Chickagami Park, 17957 Tavern Rd., Burton, OH 44021 (Rte 168 – Parkman Twp).

Jean died on March 25, 2020 just as the COVID pandemic was taking root in our country. Because of this, a private burial took place on Monday, March 30th, 2020 at Overlook Cemetery in Parkman.

Ironic that Jeannette was born in 1918 during a pandemic and died in 2020 during a pandemic. Jean was a young 101 and just shy of her 102nd birthday when she died. Another fun factoid is that Jean and her husband, Dick, were both born on July 5th but Jean was four years his senior. They had been married 60 plus years when he died in November 2003.

Jean taught school just shy of 38 years, teaching at Hambden, Claridon, Burton, Troy (pre-Berkshire), Middlefield, and Parkman. She also drove school bus (as a substitute) for Cardinal School sometimes exiting the bus then entering the classroom to teach Kindergarten. Oh, the tales she could tell of her students both in the classroom and on the bus!

After retiring she volunteered as Geauga Hospital for many years and she followed in her mother (Elsie DeGroft’s) footsteps by being an active member of the Geauga Maple Festival for years. During her years of snow-birding to Eustis, FL she volunteered at Florida Waterman Hospital and Eustis Library.

Per Jean’s request to have a party to celebrate her life, we, the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, are finally having her Celebration of Life on this significant day of 9/11 with good times, fellowship, and remembrances. We hope you will come and celebrate with us this remarkable woman who was not only a teacher and bus driver, but also a wife, daughter, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and a friend to many!

We would love to have you share a memory at the service or write a memory on paper we will provide. The family then can later read over, laugh or cry with your memory.

A big thank you to the staff at The Pines at Brooks House for the love and care she received while a resident and a very special thanks to the staff at Blossom Hill and Hospice of the Western Reserve for your loving care as she transitioned to her heavenly home.

If you so desire, contributions may be made in Jean’s memory to any of the following:

• Hospice of the Western Reserve, 17876 St. Clair Ave, Cleveland, OH 44110 or by visiting www.hospicewr.org

• Geauga Historical Society, P.O. Box 153, Burton, OH 44021

• Parkman Congregational Church, 18265 Madison Rd., Middlefield, OH 44062

• Parkman Fire Department, 16299 Main Market Rd., West Farmington, OH 44491

Hope to see you there on the 11th! Masks are optional at your discretion.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Jeannette D. (DeGroft) Giles, please visit our floral store.