Jeannette L. Pennucci

Jeannette was born Marie Louise Jeannette Michaud on April 20, 1931 in Manchester, New Hampshire to Alcide and Irene (Savoie) Michaud. She will always be "Memere" to her family - French for grandmother. French was her first language. She learned English in elementary school. She attended Catholic schools growing up. Jeannette lost her older brother Richard in 1938 and her father Alcide just six months later. She grew up during hard times and left school at age 14 when she went to work at an "old folk's home" in Rhode Island, where her aunt Seour (Sister) Jeannette was assigned. Eventually she returned to her mother's home in Manchester and worked a variety of jobs while attending night school. Out of five children, only Jeannette and her brother Leo survived to adulthood. In 1949, Jeannette met Earle Moulton Jr. They married after just two weeks and Jeannette became a military wife. The couple had five children by the time Jeannette was 25, all born in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. Jeannette ended up in California by way of Hawaii when Earle was in the military. In 1956 she flew alone from Massachusetts to Hawaii to join Earle there. She flew in a military plane (NOT a jet!) with five kids ages five years down to baby Cindy just a few months old. She liked to talk about that flight and how helpful the soldiers were on the plane - they kept the older kids occupied so that she could attend to the baby. In 1957 when Earle completed his service, he had to muster out in California. The family traveled to California from Hawaii on a military transport ship, sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge. Eventually they settled in Santa Clara, California where they bought their first home. Somewhere around this time Jeannette morphed into "Jean". While being a stay-at-home mom to five kids in the 1950s-1960s, Jean found ways to add to the family income. She babysat other children from the neighborhood, sold Avon and Sarah Coventry jewelry, held Tupperware parties, and went door to door selling Fuller Brush products and World Book Encyclopedia. She even started her own home-based business - a wake up service called "Jean's Rise and Shine" where she had customers that she would call in the mornings to wake them up. Jean was also the first female mail carrier in Santa Clara County in the later 1960s. After 20 years of marriage Earle and Jean went their separate ways. In the early 1970s while working for the Post Office, Jean met the love of her life, Nicholas Pennucci. Jean and Nick married in 1973, blending two large families. After they both retired from the Post Office, Jean and Nick went on to enjoy a variety of business ventures where they worked side by side. Their first business was "Adventures in Ceramics" in San Jose where they sold all things ceramic and taught classes. Jean became very skilled at creating porcelain dolls, doing exquisite work on reproducing antique dolls. Her children and grandchildren treasure the dolls she made for them. Jean opened "Just for Dolls" in San Jose and taught classes in dollmaking. Jean and Nick ended up in Siskiyou County in 1983 after coming up to visit their old friend Pearl Spencer. They fell in love with the area and immediately bought an old farmhouse on 38 acres in Montague. Horses, ponies, goats, chickens, dogs and cats, plus the rite of passage of climbing "Memere's Mountain" - "The Farm" became the family gathering spot that still holds treasured memories for all the kids and grandkids. Jean and Nick especially enjoyed the dogs they had over the years - Osa, Toby, Pepper, Paco, and Rusty. While living in Montague, Jean and Nick continued their entrepreneurial efforts. Jean continued to hold dollmaking classes. They also opened a video store, pizza parlor, and sandwich shop in Montague. Jean discovered computers and developed a love of desktop publishing, specializing in business cards and flyers for the local market. Jean and Nick took great pride in working together through several fire seasons helping to feed the firefighters. Their final work together was in motel host/management. Nick and Jean enjoyed being part of the Sons of Italy in Weed. Jean published their newsletter for many years. Jean and Nick sold The Farm and moved into Yreka after Nick's health began to fail. Jean was Nick's devoted caregiver in his final years. At the time of his death in 2004, Jean and Nick had been married for 30 years. After his passing, Jean sold their home and moved to Oakridge Senior Park in Yreka. About this time, she became Jeannette once more. She became active in the Church, building many friendships that persist to this day. She shared her faith with those she loved. Jeannette often said that she had more friends at the end of her life than at any other time and was very grateful. She especially enjoyed the "YaYa Sisters". Getting to celebrate her 90th birthday with friends and family was a goal she fought hard to achieve. Jeannette endured a long, brave battle with cancer before being called Home. Jeannette was preceded in death by her parents Alcide and Irene, her infant sister Beatrice, her brothers Richard, Raymond and Leo Michaud, her son Earle "Andy" Moulton, son-in-law Ed Rose, and her husband Nick Pennucci She is survived by her children Tina Moulton (Larry), David Moulton (Janet), Ken Moulton (Sally), and Cindy Rose, and numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, nephews, nieces, and cousins. She leaves her beloved cat Kiki in the care of family. Prior to her passing Jeannette wanted to be sure to thank everyone who helped care for her and visited her - family, friends, clergy, and hospice. We will be forever grateful that she was able to make her transition at home, surrounded by her loving family. She also wanted to reassure her great grandchildren that she will still be with them as an angel watching over them. A memorial funeral mass will be at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Yreka on Friday September 3, 2021 at 12 Noon.

Jeannette L. Pennucci

April 20, 1931 - August 25, 2021