Jeanie (Kenney) Robinett passed away Feb. 19, 2008, at her home in Langley.
She was born Dec. 17, 1920, in Flint, Mich. She moved to Grants Pass, Ore., as a child where she grew up, married and had two daughters, Carol and Christine, and 12 years later a son, Bradley.
She later moved to California where she worked for General Electric Nuclear Energy Library in Sunnyvale, Calif. and later at Stanford Research Institute in Menlo Park, Calif., before coming to the Island.
After her husband’s death, she came to the Island to marry her childhood sweetheart, Col. James Kenney. They were married only eight years when he passed away.
Jeanie met Harold and it was love at first sight. Jeanie had planned a vacation to Hawaii. Harold surprised her at the airport and proposed. She spent her entire vacation planning her wedding and writing songs about Harold.
When she returned home, Harold had completely planned the entire wedding right down to the last detail, except for the
300 leis that her daughter had flown in from Hawaii. She wanted fireworks but they were not allowed. They married
Dec. 15, 1984.
Jeanie and Harold had a mutual and uncommon love that never dimmed.
In 1990 Harold and Jeanie created Gramma’s Old Fashioned Soft Caramels, from her mother’s secret recipe. It became a way for them to spend time together, selling at Victorian Christmas and other venues. To this day, the phone continues to ring with caramel orders.
Jeanie loved singing with her daughters in Sweet Adeline’s for many years, where they traveled to Alaska, Canada and many other places. She collected tea pots, gave tea parties, gardened and baked. She was beautiful, generous, kind, loving friend and was gifted with a surprising sense of humor and intuition. She was the epitome of love.
Their home was a sanctuary of love and peace for their children, grandchildren and many others. She enjoyed and was so proud of her grandchildren. She was the strength and matriarch of the family.
Jeanie has touched and enriched so many lives and will be greatly missed.
She was preceded in death by her loving son, Bradley Barrow and her two granddaughters, Carrie and Cherie Ostheller.
She is survived by her loving husband, Harold; her daughters, Carol (Lowell) Ostheller and Christien (Pierre) Jones; daughter-in-law Debbie (Jim) Dauman; her grandchildren, Vince Jones, Troy Jones, Joseph Ostheller, Jeana Halverson, Jennifer, Amy, Kristen, Eric and Laura Barrow; great-grandchildren, Sarah, Joseph, Rachel, Jacob Ostheller, Emily Maywood, Colby and Tristan Jones, Tyler and Zoe Brewer, Linsey Olsen; stepchildren, Martin (Juanita) Robinett, Delores Christman, Mike, Tim and Chris Kenney, Kat Matlick and their children and many nieces and nephews.
A service will be held at 1:30 p.m., with viewing from noon to 1 p.m., on Saturday, Feb. 23, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 5425 Maxwelton.
Arrangements are under the direction of Visser Funeral Home.
