Jeannette J. Langley King Kendall

1937 - 2025

Jeannette J. Langley King Kendall

Hanover, NH - Jeannette Jean Langley (King) Kendall, 88, passed peacefully on August 8, 2025. She was born at home on Spring Street in Lebanon, NH on February 27, 1937, and lived in the Upper Valley area for all but 2 years of her life. She was the third child and only daughter of Alice Crate Langley and Averon F. Langley. She is predeceased by her parents, her elder brother Maurice S. Langley, and her younger brother Albert F. Langley. Being closest in age, she and Albert had many escapades as kids and hiked and canoed together as adults. She climbed Mt. Washington with Albert the year she turned 50!

Jeannette is survived by her children: Maureen King and her husband Marc Feldman, Sonya Campbell and her husband Michael, and Glenn King and his wife Anne Downey; eight grandchildren: Abraham Feldman, Katharine Feldman, Larissa Pyer, Spencer Lemay, Bryce Campbell, Guinevere Downey, Addie Downey, and Nora Downey; six great grandchildren; her brother, Donald Langley and his wife Dottie; sisters-in-law Annette Langley and Dianne Langley; 11 nephews and nieces; many grand-nephews and grand-nieces; and her Crate and Langley cousins and their families.

She graduated from West Lebanon High School in 1955 and was an active member and officer of the West Lebanon Alumni Association for many years. In 2005, Jeannette was awarded the WLAA Distinguished Alumni Award for all her work for the association and her community work. She loved going to the banquets and parades and was sad that there were so few alumni left when they had to give up those events in 2015.

Jeannette married Walter King in 1955 and had their three children before she was 25. When Glenn went to first grade, Jeannette began working at the Canaan Elementary School as a teacher aide and stayed for 19 years as the librarian; she didn't have a formal library degree and had to learn how to do all the library work. She and the principal turned an empty classroom and some boxes of books into a wonderful school library. After the Canaan School had a fire that caused the kids to be housed in various buildings in town while repairs were made, she packed books into her car and took them around town to the various buildings so no student would miss their library time. Her children still run into adults who ask about "Mrs. King" and talk about their Canaan elementary library time. Jeannette took care of Sonya's children before they attended school and later worked for Sonya at Hanover Hardware.

Jeannette gardened for over 60 years. She planted large vegetable gardens and was a master at canning and freezing fresh produce. She loved flower beds and established and improved the floral landscape of each home she lived in. Her favorite flower was the gladiola and her favorite bush was the lilac. She had a prolific collection of houseplants that she shared with friends.

Jeannette baked and decorated cakes for special events for family and friends. She was known for her frosting roses and a family event almost always had a decorated cake made especially for it. She took on weddings and anniversaries with multi-tier creations that had to be transported with the layers in separate boxes in the back of her car (without air conditioning), mostly on really hot summer days. She would then put the layers together at the event, usually dressed up for the party. She put her cooking skills to work leading 4-H cooking classes and she supported many 4-H events throughout Grafton County.

Jeannette began teaching Sunday School at the West Canaan Wayside Chapel and eventually ran the Sunday School. She volunteered as a counselor at Wanakee Methodist Camp and ran many camp scholarship fundraisers. She loved hosting Sunday coffee hours, at the United Methodist churches in Canaan, Enfield and Lebanon, and then later at the First Baptist Church of Lebanon. Most recently, she attended the Church of Etna and Hanover Center.

Jeannette was an avid square dancer, had the kitchen radio tuned to a country music station, and led impromptu dance parties for her children in front of American Bandstand TV broadcasts. She encouraged her children to participate in band and chorus at school and choirs at church. She didn't play any instruments but she loved listening to music.

Jeannette and her Aunt Rheta Crate were members of the "Rusty Reds" Red Hat group. They both loved going out to lunch with "the girls". Her favorite color was purple.

Her eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren were the lights of her life. She never hesitated to get on the floor and play blocks or trains or whatever the grandchildren wanted to do. Lots and lots of books were read (again and again). The grandkids tell many tales of mud, sand, and snow adventures with "ol' Grammy"; and once inside, baking parties happened frequently.

Jeannette's family wishes to thank the wonderful and compassionate staff at Dr. Furmanski's office and at Valley Terrace for their heartfelt care of Jeannette. The teams at Hanover Terrace Healthcare, Comfort Zone Home Healthcare Providers, and the Visiting Nurse and Hospice for Vermont & New Hampshire all gave tenderness during her transition to Memory Care.

In lieu of flowers, please share a bouquet of gladiola (her favorite flower) with a friend in need, or make a donation to Friends of Mascoma Foundation https://friendsofmascoma.org/donate or the Lebanon United Methodist Church, the Mascoma United Methodist Church, or the Canaan United Methodist Church.

Calling hours will be hosted by Ricker Funeral Home, 56 School Street, Lebanon, NH, on Thursday, August 14 from 3 to 5 PM. Services will be held at the Lebanon United Methodist Church, 18 School Street, Lebanon, NH, on Friday, August 15 at 11 AM. The family encourages you to wear something purple, Jeannette's favorite color.