Jeanne Elizabeth Hurt

passed away on Monday, January 23, 2017 at her residence on Bainbridge Island, Washington. She was 87 years of age.Jeanne was born December 31, 1929 in Brooklyn NY. Shortly thereafter her father's business took the family upstate to Albany. There with her sister Alice, she claimed to have lived ‘a rather privileged life' considering the depression era and the lean years of WWII. They lived in a two story colonial house with a large back yard and one of her fondest memories was the annual trip to the Chinese laundry to buy fireworks for a giant 4th of July display.Jeanne and her sister attended St. Agnes Episcopal girls' school out of town in a country setting. While she participated in most sports the school had to offer, she also knitted items for ‘Bundles for Britain' as most of the teachers in the school were Canadian or British. At home she remembers hanging black curtains over the windows for air raid drills, she planted victory gardens, volunteered at the ration board and acted as an airplane spotter. During that time her father suffered a series of strokes causing his death in 1944. Following her graduation they moved to Long Island where her mother had several relatives. Her sister was already in college and with limited resources she entered a local nursing school rather than go to college. In three years she received her RN in 1950.During that time her dentist introduced her to a very handsome NY City Policeman named Fred who she married in 1951. On their honeymoon, Fred received his recall orders from the Army Reserve and thus their Army travels began. A quick trip to ft Belvoir, Va. then back to NY where she stayed, continuing to work while Fred went to Korea for a year. When he returned he greeted his four month old son Gary. They then headed to Waltey AFB Mineral Wells, TX "The honk of the Crazy" was a sign as you drove into town, referring to the "Crazy mineral Crystals Springs". Texas was her introduction to all sorts of "creepy crawlers" such as: black widow spiders, scorpions, rattlesnakes, tarantulas, and the like, their little toddler Gary managed to get into everything, therefore, earning the name wild one.In another few years they were off again on their first ocean voyage to Germany. Their little group had grown to include another son Dana, then 2 years old. It was a bit of a challenge controlling two little ones on a military transport especially with all the new areas for the "wild one" to explore (Fortunately there was a fenced in playground on the sundecks). Taking an interesting antique "sleeper train" (which she believed to be the Kaiser's) from Bremerhaven to Frankfurt, they were met by a jr. officer who drove them to their new abode in Pirmasens, a small town in the hills near the French border (the "shoe manufacturing capital" of Germany, so they were told). Many adventures and good times were had during their 3 years in Germany including touring some of the neighboring countries. In 1959 they boarded another military transport ship, this time with one more son Jeff, 4 months old. Transferred to Ft. Belvoir, Va. again, they managed to purchase their first and only owned home during their lives.During the next two years they witnessed JFK's inauguration and shared many fretful moments about the possibility of Fred's being sent to Vietnam. They were very relieved when he received orders to be posted in Engriu Japan. This called for a cross country road trip and the purchase of a station wagon, for they now had another son Alec, 15 months old. They sailed from Oakland, Ca. on another military ship to Yokahama, 19 day trip, their children received their "sea legs" early in life.While having 4 children to herd she had visions of a potential disaster, but fortunately the trip was quite enjoyable. It did however, take some time adjusting to the Japanese way of life. Since there were no quarters available, they lived on the "Economy" as it was called. A tiny house in the rice paddies where the torrential rains arrived, surrounding the place calling for a galvanized tub of water by the door in which to "dunk the kids" before she strung them onto the raised tatami matted floor. Fred had built a pontoon type plank walkway from the car to the house, which helped a great deal.In about 6 months they were given base housing, just in time for the birth of their daughter, Lisa. When she was three they were headed back to the states, during their absence, JFK had been assassinated (a great shock to all including the Japanese people, they showed great anger). Since their home was originally in NY, that is where the army sent them as the last assignment they would stay. It was their choice, for a change, as to where to go. They had no idea except she wanted a place with mountains, trees, and water, with not too hot and not too cold a climate. Also, a great place to raise a family (NYC was not it). So in June of 1966, their little convoy left NY and headed west for parts unknown (a camping adventure, complete with a station wagon, travel trailer, second car, and roof rack, 2 adults, 5 children, their dog Rags, and two weeks of trials and tribulations. A whole story in itself). They arrived in Fay Bainbridge State Park BI, WA. They immediately purchased a huge, old, lonely house in desperate need of love. After 5 years of constant work, they realized that it needed much more "love" than they could give.In 1970 they designed and built a new house, in which they continued to live for many years. Sadly her husband died of a sudden heart attack in 1974, she still had 3 teenagers to raise alone. She made many mistakes, but also learned a lot. During this time her mom had a stroke following knee surgery. She was caring for her in addition to attempting to return to nursing, working with a new pediatric doctor on the Island.Her sister died in 1980 following a long illness, as did her mother a year later. She and her brother-in-law had known each other for 17 years, got together and were married in 1981. She temporarily moved back east to NJ, after two years he moved his business to B.I. with his death in 1988.She sold her house and downsized to a small home in Winslow, near the ferry where she had access to many conveniences.During the past decade she reconnected with a dear friend who was also becoming her travel companion. They had so far managed to rack up 100 days on various cruise lines with hopefully more to come.There were many bumps in her road of life, but also: many laughs, good times, adventures, and no regrets!Family and friends are respectfully invited to attend the Memorial Service on Tuesday, February 7, 2017 at 1:00 PM at Saint Barnabas Episcopal Church on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Interment will take place at the church cemetery. Please sign the online guest book for the family. Arrangements entrusted to Cook Family Funeral Home.