Jean Ann Bonvechio-Wacker

Jean Ann 'Jeana" Bonvechio-Wacker enjoyed a special place in the hearts of those closest to her – best friend, favorite sister, fun loving aunt, eldest child, wife and the mom everyone wanted.
An adventurous spirit, she reveled in life. Even the cancer and Parkinson's disease that sometimes slowed her down or physically restrained her, never stopped her from enjoying the things she loved most.
When she could no longer hike or ride horseback, she barreled down beach or back-country trails in her wheelchair. When she could no longer hold her bird-watching binoculars, she found an app to help identify birds by sound. And she never lost her love for road trips, turquoise jewelry and good food.
She made sure to stock the "no banana" van with Red Vines and chocolate chip cookies for the long road trips and was the first one to tell stories about our somewhat questionable motel choices (it has a shuttle to the prison?).
Jeana died Oct. 20, in Ventura, surrounded by family. She was 76.
She was born Feb. 10, 1949 in Ohio where she would go on to earn bachelor's and masters' degrees from Ohio University. It was there she met her husband, Fred. They were married 45 years and had two children, Christopher and David.
After graduating from college, the couple moved to Sierra Vista, AZ., where Fred was stationed in the Army. They would later move to Wilmington, NC, before eventually settling in Atlanta, and later Madison, GA.
Jeana worked for years as a speech pathologist in school districts all over the state. She brought Animated Literacy, a program that helped kids learn reading and writing through stories and song, to classrooms in Madison, where she was a favorite of students and faculty.
But family was most important in her life. The oldest of six children, Jeana was happy to open her home to her younger siblings for summer fun. She relished her role as the cheerful and outgoing aunt, enjoying wild canoe trips and beach vacations with her nieces and nephews. Always up for travel, she loved wine country (making sure we were first to arrive at the winery for opening bell) hiking all over the West and beach walks at her favorite spot, Morro Bay.
Jeana moved to Santa Paula, California, in 2011, fulfilling a longtime dream of returning to the West. With one sibling already in the state, it wasn't long before the one remaining sister joined them and the three Bonvechio sisters - West Coast Edition - was born.
Many more adventures and good times would follow and though it wasn't always easy, Jeana never stopped fighting for the life she loved. She was able to keep a positive outlook despite brain surgeries, chemo and radiation over the last eight years. And she was known at every doctor's office and hospital as that patient with the purple streak in her hair – a source of endless comments from the medical staff.
She was preceded in death by her husband Fred and her mother Norma Bonvechio. She is survived by her sons Christopher and David, Santa Paula; father Eugene, New Philadelphia, OH; sisters Wendy Bonvechio, Ojai, CA; Marty Bonvechio (Duane Dammeyer), Ventura, CA; brothers Todd Bonvechio (Peggy), New Philadelphia; Matt Bonvechio (Robin), Gnadenhutten, OH; Craig Bonvechio, Brecksville, OH; sister-in-law Alison Kiernan, Cleveland; best friend Mary Jo Paris, Atlanta, and many nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.
Please consider a donation to one of her favorite charities: Santa Paula Theatre Center, PO Box 608, Santa Paula, CA 93061, where she tried to never miss a play, or Dig Deep Water Project, PO Box 26779, Los Angeles, CA 90026, which brings clean, running water to families on the Navajo Nation.
Joseph P. Reardon Funeral Home & Cremation Service
757 East Main Street
Ventura, CA 93001 805-643-8623