Jeanne Antonello
Departed April 30, 1971
 


 

Memories of Jeanne Antonello
by
Kathy Pierce

Jeanne was the spunkiest (probably the most popular) girl at Parkway Junior High School. She was cute, adorable and fun-loving. Jeanne married her high school sweetheart, Mike Taylor, right out of high school. They had twins while I was still away at college. It was earth shattering for me when I heard Jeanne was dealing with cancer, I think we were just 19 or 20 years old. We would be thrilled to meet her kids, I'm sure they are as great as Jeanne and Mike. I'd like them to know their mother is often in our thoughts and great memories.

 

Submitted by Kathy Pierce 6/10/07

 


Memories of Jeanne Antonello
by Bonnie Dunn
 

I remember Jeanne as a beautiful, fun loving, unpretentious and very encouraging individual.  She had a gentle, genuine way that drew people to her. She encouraged friends to strive a little higher, and enjoyed sharing in the joy of their success.  An unusual trait to have at such a young age.  After her death, her youngest brother Billy shared with me that the family always knew Jeanne would not live much longer than young adulthood.   I miss her.  I'm saddened to see that her husband Mike Taylor also died.

Submitted by Bonnie Dunn  6/20/07

 

Memories of Jeanne Antonello
by
Leila Kane
 

 Jeanne influenced my life in so many ways, from naming my first-born after her (my daughter, Jeanne, now 33! ), to my first career (Nursing) to later work with people facing end of life issues. I hope you can bear with the length and details. I just feel as though Jeanne lived so much in such a short time. "Talking" about her feels right, even to the point of sharing some of the special final months of her life with her old buddies from Stranahan. Thanks! Leila
Starting way back at Parkway, as Kathy said, Jeanne was the most popular girl in school, and, even more telling, she deserved the title! She had a great laugh, was exceptionally poised, and was kind and helpful to those of us not yet as pulled together as she was (including me!). Jeanne was my mentor, although at that point in time I am sure I had never heard of the idea or the concept. We remained good friends throughout high school, Juniorette Sisters, etc.
After Stranahan, I was off to Georgia for school and Jeanne married Mike Taylor, who had just joined the Air Force. They were stationed in California at the same base where I would later serve as an Air Force Nurse. As a matter of fact, their twins were born at the Air Force Hospital where I later worked as an OB/Neonatal Nurse. We corresponded throughout Jeanne's pregnancy and my obsession with OB Nursing was definitely influenced by Jeanne's joyous celebration of the new lives she was nurturing. It was, unfortunately, during this same timeframe that Jeanne's previously diagnosed cancer returned with a vengeance. Her girls were just babies as she renewed her fight.
Dating back to our carpooling days in high school, Jeanne had been a favorite of my mother, who also happened to be a nurse working for a local internist in Plantation. As Jeanne's medical battle raged, she was sent to Bethesda Hospital in MD by the Air Force for advanced treatment. Since the treatment was intermittent, and based upon regularly drawn blood work, Jeanne did not have to be in residence in MD all the time. In between treatments she came home to Ft. Lauderdale with her babies so that her parents could help her and them. (Mike had to stay in Bethesda in his AF job). Jeanne re-connected with my mother and was able to have her blood drawn by her, skipping the more formal procedure of having to go to a hospital or lab to have it done. As her white count dictated, Jeanne would return to Bethesda for another round of treatment, and then back to Lauderdale to get stronger before doing it all again. Such a courageous young woman. Pleasant and cheerful throughout it all!
It was at this point that I decided to take a leave from my studies in Atlanta so I could come home and be of whatever assistance I could to Jeanne and the Antonello's. God, those little girls were sooo cute. The perfect blend of Jeanne and Mike!
So, I came home thinking I could maybe help with the girls, but it turned out that what Jeanne really wanted was to hang out and reminisce, as well as she could in that time of weakness. I remember that in a number of successive days, she had me take her all around Lauderdale, going by key spots that had meant so much. The beach. Wolfies. Las Olas Blvd. Stranahan itself. 10th street! It was a special time and my great honor to help her say goodbye, which she was clearly doing. We shared everything from the unbelievably profound to the silliest of stories. It was poignant and deeply moving for me.
As fate would have it, and in keeping with life's many ironies, it was my unexpected presence there in Lauderdale that enabled me to be with my mom when she learned of the sudden death of my older brother, Keith, in a traffic accident. It was February 1971. On April 30th of that year, Jeanne was gone as well. NOT EVEN QUITE 4 YEARS OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL!
All I can say is that she was an amazing woman with exceptional grace whose influence continues to this day. I loved her, and miss her still. I think of her so very often (hard not to since my daughter bears her name!) I can still see her dimpled smile and hear her infectious laugh. Thanks everyone for reading and remembering! Leila Kane (Dickey)

Submitted by Leila Kane 7/02/07




Kathy Haines meets Tammy Taylor, one of Jeanne Antonello and Mike Taylor's twin daughters. The girls were two when Jeanne passed away, but her 'bubbly and lovable' genes live on in these girls.

Submitted 2/10/10


Kathy and Mike at the Prom
   

 

If you have memories of Jeanne you would like to share, please contact the webmaster:  graham@stranahan67.com