JEANNE RUTH GOODMAN

GOODMAN , Jeanne Ruth (Adelman) A Beacon of Kindness, Creativity and Love Jeanne Ruth Adelman Goodman was born in Chicago, Illinois, on November 4, 1947, the cherished first daughter of Robert "Butch" Adelman and Betty Ruth Adelman. From an early age, Jeanne's parents-especially her mother-disregarded 1950s gender norms, nurturing their daughters' boundless curiosity and encouraging Jeanne to be fearless in her pursuit of new horizons. By 16, Jeanne had already begun to chart an adventurous path, following in her parents' footsteps to become a licensed pilot. She soloed as a teenager and aced her pilot's test-much to the bewilderment of her mother, who needed three tries to pass hers. Though it wasn't until her late 70s that it was discovered Jeanne had a near-gifted IQ, her capacity was apparent from an early age. She was a voracious reader, a lover of animals, and full of wonder. Her thirst for knowledge led her to study fine arts and later major in literature in college before moving to London in the late 1960s-a cultural epicenter of art, fashion, and politics. There, she worked for TWA and later for an independent media company, where-on assignment in the Middle East-Jeanne left her job to provide humanitarian aid in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) following catastrophic flooding. She worked alongside the Red Cross to deliver medicine as one of the first international responders. Upon returning to the U.S., Jeanne married John Goodman and continued her journalism career. She wrote for the Old Colony Memorial in Plymouth, Massachusetts, chronicling stories of local townspeople and spending time with national figures such as Ralph Nader (touring a nuclear power plant) and Francis Ford Coppola (on press tour for One from the Heart) for The Boston Globe. In the 1980s, Jeanne stepped away from journalism to raise her two sons, Jason and Jared. As with everything she did, Jeanne poured her full energy into motherhood-teaching her children to be lifelong learners and fearless adventurers like herself. She became an active member of the Wellesley, Massachusetts, community: a generous friend, a warm and smiling neighbor, and, on more than one occasion, someone who opened her home to her children's friends for extended stays. She had an effortless way of making people feel comfortable and loved connecting with young minds. In the 1990s, at the dawn of the digital era, Jeanne's curiosity was reignited. She practiced early digital art by exploring code-based visual imagery and later worked at the Davis Museum, the MFA, and eventually the Institute of Contemporary Art–Boston. There, she led public tours, learned directly from world-renowned visiting artists, and shared her passion for their work with thousands. This proximity to some of the leading artists of the time undoubtedly informed her own artistic development-and despite being in her mid-60s, Jeanne found her calling through photography. She developed a singular visual style she called "WaterGraphs"-photographing landscapes and seascapes with digital cameras looking through century-old glass fishing floats that had washed ashore, blending ancient and contemporary practices. Her photographs used the refractions of weathered glass to capture the feeling of being inside a twilight sky, undoubtedly inspired by fond memories of flying through the clouds with her pilot parents as a child. Her work continues to be exhibited in galleries across the country. No matter what Jeanne was exploring, family was always at the center of her attention and perhaps her greatest gift to future generations was preserving the family's rich history. As a child, her Uncle Frank-recognizing something special in her-told her she would be the family genealogist, and she treated that assignment as a sacred responsibility. She traced the family's lineage back to rabbis who came to America with little, refugees who were forced to start over as junkmen before rebuilding their lives, and other familiar Jewish-American immigration stories from the turn of the 20th century. Jeanne was so passionate that, on more than a few occasions, she would appear at distant family celebrations with tales of shared great-grandmothers- bringing forgotten histories to life for present-day strangers and mending broken branches of the family tree. Jeanne was a great unifier who cherished people, delighted in discovery, and was always eager to hear about others. Her life advice included: "Travel while you're young" and "life can be hard, you have to make sure to have fun". Friends remember her as a "beacon"-someone whose endless curiosity led her to explore avant-garde ideas and share them in ways that made them accessible. "I'm just curious. I've always been very curious," Jeanne said-and that fascination with life was palpable to all who were fortunate enough to be by her side. Jeanne's legacy is one of vibrant memories, thoughtful lessons, and a radiant spirit. She was known for chasing sunsets, listening with intention, and revealing that true strength lies in kindness and an open heart. She is survived by her husband, two sons, sister, nieces, nephew, grand-nieces and grandnephew, who are so grateful to carry her with them as they continue to explore the meaning of their own lives. She was a true hero among us all, and we are forever thankful to be shaped by her love and joy for life. Donations in Jeanne's memory can be made to The Healey Center for ALS at Mass General www.giving.massgeneral.org/healeycenter or to Compassionate Care ALS at https://ccals.org/