Jeannine Jalbuena

1931 - 2019

Jeannine Jalbuena’s passing on Nov. 2, 2018 was marked by a funeral on Nov. 13, 2018 with a beautifully sung liturgy at Saint Katherine of Siena Catholic Church in Wayne, PA. Her obituary was one sentence, published online. It stated, “Jeannine Jalbuena was born Feb. 11, 1931 and passed away Nov. 2, 2018.” In the four months since her death, it has occurred to me that many who knew her from the years she lived in Malvern, may not even be aware of her death. I thought it important that a woman who lived in the area, nearly all her adult life, should have a remembrance in the local paper. I first met Jeannine when I was a young teenager. Her son was a friend of my brothers and me. We were involved in various school plays and local theater projects together. Many of us from that time might particularly remember shows at Villa Maria, a musical review staged in St. Patrick Church basement, and Star Wars based film project that expanded over several months. These pursuits, which brought us in and out of the Jalbuena home, were some of my best memories as a young teenager. Jeannine was indicative of the type of parents adults were prior to this supposedly more connected world we are now in. Neighbors like her were extensions of my own parents. People who knew one another’s families and whose children ran through each others yards. How much more dangerous and less free would my boyhood have been without these extensions of parental authority in our neighborhood. Jeannine was a devoted wife and mother. She kept an orderly home and was always very welcoming. She was sociable, elegant, and easy to be around. As a young person, I remember her as being approachable while also commanding respect. Jeannine loved children. After raising her own son, she cared for several children in her Paoli home as a nanny. She developed an excellent reputation. So much so that she had to turn down many parents who sought her exclusive services. I saw Jeannine at various points over the years, well into my adulthood, and would periodically visit with her. Several years back when I was going through a particularly difficult time Jeannine happened to stop in at my place of work. She didn’t know it, but seeing a kind face from a beautiful time in the past was a moment of grace that lifted my spirits and moved my mind away from heavy thoughts. If I wasn’t already grateful for the many good experiences during my upbringing that Jeannine was present for, I will always be grateful for that moment. A few years ago, I realized some time had passed since I had last seen her so I dropped by to visit her. She had long since sold her Malvern home and was now living in an apartment. She was happy to see me. I observed during subsequent visits, that Jeannine would not be able to safely live on her own for too much longer. On my last visit to her apartment, I walked up the steps to her door, only to find that Jeannine no longer lived there. I inquired about her at her parish church and tried to find out where she had moved to and left my information. After a while looking for her, I bumped into someone from the old neighborhood who told me where she was. At this point however, I was very much occupied with caring for my own parents who were in need of daily assistance. It is with deep regret that I did not visit her after her move to the care facility where she spent her last days. I would like to have been that face of hope from a better time that she had been for me. Hopefully I can make amends for that by praying for the happy repose of her soul. By God’s grace, she is not in need of these prayers for she may already be fully in His embrace. May you rest in peace Jeannine. Thank you for being one of the adults who oversaw an idyllic time in my youth.