Jeanne Buckley Tiedemann

Jeanne Buckley Tiedemann, beloved wife of Michael, mother of Sarah and Emma and adoring grandmother of Penelope Jeanne passed away at home on September 12th, 2025, surrounded by her family, after a valiant 45-month battle with cancer. Our Jeanne was just 60 years young.
Born October 24th, 1964, to Dr. George Buckley Jr. and Patrica Murphy Buckley in Fort Belvoir Virginia, Jeanne grew up in a lively and loving household in Rockville Centre, NY. She was the eldest of five siblings-George, Gregory, Eileen, and Peter. It was a poorly kept secret that her youngest brother Peter was her favorite-excepting those times when Jeanne's sister Eileen was dutifully rubbing away the neuropathy in her feet.
From an early age Jeanne had a global wanderlust that she would come to enthusiastically pass on to her two daughters though their annual summer trips abroad. Jeanne's passport had stamps from no less than 15 countries for destinations that included Mongolia, France, Germany, Japan, The Soviet Union, Denmark, Spain, Greece, and her favorite corner of the globe-London, England where she earned a master's degree from The London School of Economics. When not globetrotting, Jeanne enjoyed day drives down country roads or weekend trips to New England country inns with her husband. Kennebunkport was a favorite pit stop of hers. Never known to take the same route there and back, she never missed a chance to stop at a roadside farmstand to bring home fresh vegetables or flowers.
Jeanne met her husband Michael of 37 years in 1985 where they both worked at his family's delicatessen, Neilsen's in Rockville Centre, NY. Jeanne's father would often stop in to buy hot dogs and cold cuts. Jeanne and Michael both shared a love of Manhattan where they both worked, dated, and went to college. They were married August 12th, 1988, at Saint Agnes Cathedral in Rockville Centre. After their honeymoon on Martha's Vineyard they moved to Charlestown, MA to start a family.
Jeanne began her work life at Tiffany & Co, in college in the China and Crystal department where she hand-wrote sales orders and sent them to the cashier via pneumatic tubes. Michael would often visit her while she was working as his first job was only a few blocks from Tiffany. Jeanne's post college professional career was spent as a lifelong educator. She began teaching at Burr Cooperative Nursery School and ended her career at Showa University in Jamaica Plain as a service-learning coordinator. She was beloved by the hundreds of female Japanese students living abroad for the first time and in need of a caring mentor. At Showa, Jeanne is remembered for her fast-talking classes which made for even faster English learners.
Jeanne was an unconditionally generous spirit by nature. No matter the person or occasion she always discovered gifts that were unique to the person-and were often made by elves. When asked how it was that she was able to find such special gifts time and again, she would offhandedly reply, "they find me!" Full of life, Jeanne brought positive energy into every room and to every person she met. Jeanne lived her entire life guided by two simple words, "Be Kind". Blessed with an infectious smile and prone to tear-soaked laughter she always left her family and friends in better spirits for having been in her presence.
A devoted mother-Jeanne made every day feel magical and full of wonder. There was always a craft that fit the day-from her proprietary play dough recipe to tie-dyeing during the pandemic, she kept her children and their friends busy. And for many of her children's friends, she was a second mom because Jeanne treated every one of them like her own children. She made our home a safe and fun place to be a kid. Whether it was games of dress up, or impromptu road trips to satisfy her addiction to soft serve ice cream, or candle lit board games, she never failed to make our life feel exceptional. While Sarah and Emma were at college, she would often take their friends to dinner at the Red Dove Tavern for draft wine, French Fries, and a hamburger. Being a mother was her greatest joy, and as a born teacher she nurtured anyone who walked through her door.
As much as Jeanne loved motherhood, it was being "Mimi" that became her true calling. Born just 11 days after Jeanne's brain surgery, Penelope Jeanne Poulin was the light of her life. Whenever the subject of Poppy came up, Jeanne would instantly jump in and say, "she's magnificent!" When she was able early in her battle with cancer, she would regularly take the train to Portland to read Poppy bedtime stories or just sit on the floor and play with her for hours on end.
Jeanne will be remembered by her large circle of loving friends from college, home, work, and parenthood.
A lifelong Catholic, Jeanne had a private funeral mass at Saint Theresa of Avila and is buried at Mt. Benedict Cemetery-both in West Roxbury. Per Jeanne's wishes a public Celebration of Life will be held on October 26th at the Corinthian Yacht Club in Marblehead MA. Brunch was Jeanne's favorite meal and will be served at 11am. Everyone who's life has been touched by Jeanne is encouraged to join her family to share their thoughts and experiences.
Jeanne's family would like to share a special thank you to her entire oncology care team who made Jeanne feel as though she was only patient in the world during her 45 months of treatment:
- Dr. Patrick Wen and NP Jennifer Stewart at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
- Infusion Nurse's Suzie Devitt and Lisa Lundmark
- LICSW Joan Clowes, RN Tim Collins, and Dr. Emma Jones at Care Dimensions
- Physical Therapist Emily Nepomuceno and Occupational Therapist Kathy Krebs at Faulkner Hospital