Jenny Champine

With great sadness we announce the passing of Jennie Mary Champine, our loving and devoted Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, Aunt and Friend to all whose lives she touched. God called Mom to heaven April 2, 2020. She was 90 years old. Mom was surrounded by her loving family during her last weeks of fighting a battle with Leukemia. Fortunately, with help from the angels of Hospice, she died in her sleep, reasonably comfortable. Jennie's life story is first and always of her profound love of her family. Her 3 boys - Joe, Jerry and Mark, always felt loved and supported. A single mother, who was incredibly proud of her still valid "Beautician's License", raised her sons with a great sense of "familia". With 8 Grandchildren and 13 Great-Grandchildren, she was incredibly proud of her sons' families: Joe and Cathy (Joey and Kerry - Luca, Joseph and Jasmine, Jimmy and Megan - Andrew and Wesley, Cristyn and Dustin - Trayten and Irelynn), Jerry and Pat (Mike and Robin - Landon and Keaton, Katie - Anthony, Matt and Kelly - Aiden and Colin), Mark and Susan (Alicia and Steven - Mason, David and Aneesa). Jennie thoroughly enjoyed sharing in each of her family's "life milestones" - weddings, birthday parties (especially the Great Grand-Children's), vacations, family picnics, high school and college graduations and the birth of new babies into our family - she was able to be with each of her Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren when they were born, including our most recent additions - Colin and Mason. She was especially proud to provide traditional Italian Wedding favors of five Jordan Almonds for each of the 11 weddings in our family. These favors included an inscription that embodied her Italian heritage with her sense of life and family: "The five sugar-coated almonds are an ancient Italian tradition. The fresh almond has a bittersweet taste that is symbolic of life itself. The sugar coating reflects the hope their life together will have more sweetness than bitterness. The odd number of almonds is indivisible, just as the newlyweds should remain undivided." This wish embodied one of her deepest prayers for her family. Jennie also enjoyed spending long weekends with her sons and Grandchildren's families, sharing family recipes and long talks with them. As Matt said, when she left at the end of her visits, every tupperware bowl was filled with wonderful food and even greater memories. On the day she passed, Jimmy reflected: "The world is a worse place today than it was yesterday." But she is still around us, filling us with her love. As Anthony will tell you, when you see a butterfly or a bird flying close to you, it is Grandma Jay stopping by to say "HI - I LOVE YOU!". During the current national emergency, we will postpone services for Mom until such time that we can have an appropriate day of remembrance with a Catholic Mass and a Memorial Luncheon. We will inform you as plans are finalized. On behalf of our mother, please know that she loved you - her family and her friends, old and new.

Jenny Champine

September 9, 1929 - April 2, 2020