Jeannette Larson

Although Jeannette wasn't around for the start of Penn Valley Meeting, she was an early member. When she joined she brought daughter Elenor and three sons, Jeffrey, Lars and Eric. She was clerk of the meeting in the early seventies. Those of us who were in the meeting during the years she was here remember her for her serious attempt to do a "Quakeriy" job of being clerk, for committee meetings in her home which featured sumptuous meals, for her intelligence (she was a voracious reader) and marvelous sense of humor.

Her family will have a memorial service for her (probably in Fort Worth) sometime in the near future. We will be informed as to time and place. The Ministry and Oversight Committee of Penn Valley will consider what sort of recognition our meeting will have for this woman who was so special to this meeting.

Note: A member of Fort Worth Meeting told a particularly apt story about Jeannette. Some weeks ago, a meeting member picked her up to take her to meeting. On the way she told him she had had a bad pain in the night and she began to think this was "it." "And," she said, "I was upset because I'm not finished with that book I've been reading about the Civil War."

From an Obituary

Funeral: A cremation is planned as she wished, with a memorial service at a later date.

Jeannette Lyon was born Jan. 28, 1912, in St. Louis, Mo. She was the middle of three daughters born to Roberta Harris and Nelson Filmore Lyon. She grew up in Kansas City, Mo., and graduated from Central High School with training in secretarial skills. In 1929, she rode the train alone to San Antonio, where her older sister lived, and worked there for five years, where she met and married her husband, Ronald Roderick Larson, and bore her first child. The family returned to Kansas City, and three sons were born. After a period of time raising her children, Jeannette returned to the work force. Her secretarial expertise carried her to be the personal secretary, office manager, and friend of U.S. District Judge John W. Oliver. She held that position for more than 20 years, retiring at age 72. She then moved to Philadelphia, and worked for the judicial system before returning, finally, to Texas and going into retirement. Jeannette had a wealth of talents. She was an insatiable reader of history, both ancient and modern; mysteries, philosophy, poetry, and humor. She educated herself in the arts and enjoyed all its aspects. She wrote poetry and many memoirs. She painted, embroidered, sewed, and cooked all with care and imagination. Never garrulous, she nonetheless enjoyed a meaty conversation, kept abreast of current news, and could converse with young and old on a wide variety of subjects. She was a longtime member of the Society of Friends (Quakers) and had served as clerk of The Fort Worth meeting. She met all situations with a loving and friendly demeanor. She was an advocate of non-violence and abolition of the death penalty. The unwavering integrity taught to her by her father never prevented her from forgiving human frailty, though she did not suffer fools gladly. Jeannette was a brave warrior, overcoming many adversities including a battle with lymphoma, which she won. She was a loved and honored mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She will be remembered for her sometimes wicked wit, her fierce independence, and her loving, quiet presence.

Survivors: Daughter, Elenor and husband, Rudy Zepeda of North Richland Hills; sons, Jeffry and wife Jean of Hamden, Conn., Nels and his wife Anne Thompson of Lanham, Md., and Eric of Chester, Pa.; eight grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren, three nieces, a nephew, and friends far and near. She was a charter resident of Meadow Lakes Retirement Community.

Guardian Funeral Home
5704 James Ave., 293-8477