Jeanne Naffziger Jenkins John, of Malad, ID, returned to the loving arms of her Heavenly Father on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015. She passed away peacefully at age 87 at Nell J. Redfield Memorial Hospital & Long Term Care, Malad, ID, surrounded by her loving family.
Jeanne was born Aug. 14, 1928 to the Rev. Caryl Kearney Naffziger and Hanna Marie Harder Naffziger in Pueblo, CO. Rev. Naffziger began his ministry in Houston, TX, where he served Hyde Park Lutheran Church. It was there that he met and married his wife Hanna, a graduate of Rice University. In 1924 they moved to Las Animas, CO, where son Warren was born, followed by daughter, Jeanne, in Pueblo, CO, then son Robert in Trinidad, CO. In 1941, the family moved to Salt Lake City, UT, where Rev. Naffziger served the Third Presbyterian Church, until failing health forced his retirement from active ministry in 1951.
Following Rev. Naffziger’s retirement, Hanna and the three children joined the First Presbyterian Church in Salt Lake City, where Jeanne met William Griffith Jenkins. She graduated from East High School in 1945, and from the University of Utah in 1949, and with a further year of graduate study, she received her Social Work Certificate from the University of Utah in 1950.
In September 1950, Jeanne married William Griffith Jenkins of Malad, ID, a 1949 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY, as a Lieutenant in the Air Force. Their first home was at Barksdale Air Force Base in Shreveport, LA, where Lt. Jenkins was stationed. The following year they were transferred to Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, OH, where their two daughters, Cheryl Elizabeth and Diane Catherine were born. After four years in Dayton, in 1956, Lt. Jenkins was transferred to Tachikawa Air Force Base in Tokyo, Japan, to set up data processing for the military, and was promoted to Captain. Jeanne and their two daughters, at ages two and three and one-half, packed up and made the two week Pacific Ocean crossing by naval ship, and joined Griff in Tokyo, where they lived for two and one-half years. They returned to the states, where Griff resigned from the Air Force as a Major in 1959.
They made their home in Malad, ID, for Griff to become involved in the family business and take an active role in the management of J.N. Ireland and Co., Bankers. Their son, David Griffith was born in Malad in 1959. Griff joined his father, Griffith L. Jenkins, and uncle, McKinley Jenkins, and served as President and CEO of the bank until his death in 1978.
Jeanne continued her service in social work, serving on the Southeast Idaho Mental Health Board and working with the American Red Cross for many years. Caring for her family, keeping house, making home cooked meals and maintaining a beautiful yard were Jeanne’s trademarks. She was a talented oil painter, and painted many beautiful pictures for her home and family, and enjoyed singing with the Malad Valley Community Chorus for many years.
Jeanne had always been actively involved in the family bank, and became an Ireland Bank Director, and Director of D.L. Evans and Co., Bankers in Albion and Burley, ID, after the death of her father-in-law in 1972. She became Chairman of the Board following her husband’s passing in 1978, and served as Chairman for 26 years until retiring from the position in December 2004, but continued serving on the Board another two years. She was named Director Emeritus in 2007, serving a total of 34 years as Director and Chairman. During these years, Ireland Bank grew from one bank to 13 branches, and is still Idaho’s oldest state-chartered bank.
Jeanne married Eldon Lloyd John of Malad, in December 1980, and became a second mother to the five John children and grandmother to several John grandchildren. She moved to St. John with Eldon, where they raised sheep and cattle, and Eldon was a dairyman until his retirement. While “on the farm”, she particularly enjoyed the animals, and was delighted to watch the young lambs frolic, and help bottle feed the baby calves. After Eldon sold the farm in St. John, they moved back into the town house in Malad. Jeanne was married to Eldon for 34 years, until his death in January 2015. Jeanne resided at Nell J. Redfield Memorial Hospital & Long Term Care in Malad, ID, until her death.
Jeanne was a dedicated member of the First United Presbyterian Church of Malad City. She was an ordained Elder of the church and served as Deacon, Treasurer, Sunday School teacher, youth group and Presbyterian Women’s (Ladies Aid) teacher, Vacation Bible School leader, choir member and director, and in many other capacities over her lifetime. She lived a life of service to God, family and others, and always did so with a happy heart. She loved to sing hymns of praise to her Lord, and often spoke of her personal relationship to God and her readiness to be with Him in Heaven.
Jeanne is survived by her children, Cheryl (Randy) Marshall of Boise, ID, Diane (Tim) Deeg of American Falls, ID, David (Glenda) Jenkins of Boise, ID; step-children Mark (JoLynn) John and Wendy (Jim) Scalise of Malad, ID; grandchildren Danielle (Jeff) Schutte, Kimberly Marshall (Chris) Bingham, Jennifer (Brian) Hunt, Brekelle Deeg, Christopher Jenkins, Griff Jenkins; step-grandchildren Owen Braker, David John, Samantha Coleman, Robbie Cavender, Cathy Nelson, Mattie John, Clint John, Shannee Scalise, Bracken Scalise; and great-grandchildren Tucker Schutte, Emersyn Schutte, Jesse Bingham and Renner Hunt. She is also survived by her younger brother, Robert (Billie) Naffziger, Salt Lake City, UT. She is preceded in death by her first husband, Griff Jenkins, her parents, Rev. Caryl and Hanna Naffziger, her brother, Warren (Theron) Naffziger of Sacramento, CA, her second husband, Eldon John, of Malad, ID, and step-children Leslie Cavender, Sandy Braker and Mike John.
The family would like to extend their gratitude to Karen Day, who lovingly cared for our mom in her home for two years, and the doctors and staff at Nell J. Redfield Memorial Hospital & Long Term Care for all their dedicated, loving and compassionate care.
Funeral services were held Saturday, Sept. 19, at 11 a.m., at Malad Second Ward, 20 South 100 West, Malad, ID. The family received friends from 7 to 8 p.m., Friday evening and one hour prior to services at Horsley Funeral Home, 132 West 300 North, Malad, ID. Interment was at Malad City Cemetery. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Horsley Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials in Jeanne’s name be given to the First United Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 152, Malad, Idaho, 83252, or the Oneida County Free Library, P.O. Box 185, Malad, Idaho. Condolences may be shared at www.horsleyfuneralhome.com.
Thanks for reading! Read more in this week's print edition.Subscribe Today! |