Jean Jordan Jennings
Boston Post Cane Receipt December 2024
Jean Jennings was born on January 25, 1927, in Exeter, NH. She was the daughter of John L. Jordan and Annette (Labelle) Jordan and was one of seven children: Gerard (“Jerry”), Thelma (“Tillie”), Jean, John, Natalie, and twins Peter and Marsha. Several of her siblings were later active in the Newmarket community. Peter was a teacher at Newmarket High School, and Jerry was an early participant in the Marine Docents program. John was a Newmarket police officer.
Her parents were active in Newmarket and instilled the ethic of community service in their children. John (also known as “Jack,”) proudly served on the Newmarket School Board. The family lived on Mount Pleasant Street until Jack and Annette moved downtown. Together they owned and operated Jordan’s Restaurant at 98 Main Street. They lived upstairs over the restaurant, where John was the chef.
For 21 years between 1946 and 1967 Jordan’s Lunch just across from the walkway to the Newmarket Mills provided a steady stream of customers at Noon for lunch, and for a beer after work. The restaurant was a center for community news and discussion.
Although she was Frances Jean Jordan at birth, she has always been known as “Jean.” Jean attended school in Newmarket and graduated from Newmarket High School in the Class of 1944. She has always been proud to be a Newmarket Mule! She then attended Nursing School at St. John’s School of Nursing in Lowell, Massachusetts, where she graduated and received her Certificate as a Registered Nurse in 1948.
Jean was in Nursing School during World Ward II. She was a member of the United States Cadet Nurse Corps (CNC) which was created in June, 1943 to address the nursing shortage before and during the war. Nursing schools were mandated to compress the traditional 36-month nursing program into 30 months, and they were obligated to provide students with clinical experiences of medicine, surgery, pediatrics, and obstetrics. Nationwide 1,125 schools of nursing participated in the program. The CNC operated between 1943 and 1948; during this period 179,000 student nurses enrolled, and Jean was one of the
124,065 who finished the course of study and successfully graduated. As a member of the Nurse Corps, she pledged to be available for military service or other Federal, governmental or essential civilian services for the duration of the war.
As reported in the 1950 U.S. Public Health Service Report: “The American Hospital Association credited the cadet student nurses with helping to prevent to collapse of civilian nursing in the U.S. during the war”.
While working as a nurse during her training at St. John’s Hospital, Jean met her future husband, Tom Jennings of Lowell, whose sister was one of Jean’s patients at
the Hospital. Tom and Jean were married at St. Mary’s Church in Newmarket and resided in Newmarket at the start of their careers, and in the years that followed.
Tom entered the Apprentice Program at the Portsmouth Navy Yard and then worked at the Shipyard until his retirement. Jean worked at the Exeter hospital, first in nursing services. She then furthered her training and became the first head of Cardiology Department. Then, at the age of 50, she commuted to and from the Lahey Clinic in Boston to be trained in Neurology and became the head of the new Neurology Department. She retired from Exeter Hospital in 1989.
At the age of 70 Jean answered a call to assist her daughter, Patti, in the opening of her law practice.
Although the plan was for that to be one day a week for a few weeks, Jean loved the work and everyone loved her. She continued to work there for several years. She is still fondly remembered by clients, staff, and Court personnel.
She and Tom had three children: Two daughters, Patti (now Blanchette) and Susan (now Bonner) and a son, Thomas P. Jennings, Jr.
The family first resided at 23 Beech Street and then bought and managed an apartment building at 18 Exeter Street.
Later they built a home at 74 Packers Falls Road, where the family lived for many years, and which is now occupied by Tom, Jr. and his family.
In the early years Jean served as a Girl Scout leader, and Tom coached Little League. In later years Jean used her nursing skills to volunteer at Rockingham Family Planning Clinics. They were members and active in St. Mary’s Church, and Jean became a life member of the New Market Historical Society and the Newmarket Women’s Club. Jean has always excelled at craft work: sewing, ceramics, knitting, cake decorating, and making greeting cards.
After retiring she began quilting, which has given her many hours of pleasure. She was a member of the Seabreeze Quilt Guild. She enjoyed gardening, bird watching, and reading. She has been a volunteer driver for the Meals on Wheels Program and was an active Seacoast Hospice Volunteer.
Jean was a member of the Newmarket Senior Citizens Group, serving on the Board of Directors and as its first Historian. In 1992 she compiled the History of
the Senior Citizens Group from materials gathered over the previous 20 years. She served as Historian for ten years. Later, she enjoyed the Monday bingo games and lunch with friends at the Newmarket Senior Center. Thursday mornings were reserved for her regular appointments with her friend, fellow quilter, and hairdresser, Marsha Zocchi-Edwards. Jean and Marsha were honored by the Newmarket Historical Society for their beautiful quilting work, which was displayed at the Stone School Museum in 2015.
Sadly, Tom died in 1997. Tom and Jean were married for forty-nine years. At the age of 90 Jean decided to get her own apartment, where more happy memories were made. She enjoyed walking every day and greeting her younger neighbors. She was independent in skill and spirit, and she drove until she was 93.
She is grateful for the many courtesies extended to her by the staff of the Cheney Companies during her three years at 8 Bennett Way in Newmarket. They made her time there happy, safe, and secure.
Likewise, she is grateful to the staff at the Ernest Barka Assisted Living Community and the Rockingham Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, where Jean and her children and grandchildren (Rachael Lyle, Randy Bonner, and Hunter Jennings) and great granddaughter (Rylie Bonner) and son in law (Dick Bonner) and daughter in law (Stacey Cooper Jennings) along with the family pets, continue to share in many events, craft projects, and happy times.
Newmarket Town Officials Wendy Chase and Town Council Vice Chair Brian Ward presented Jean with the Boston
Post Cane award while an audience of Jean’s family and Rockingham County employees looked on in a ceremony held on December 5th, 2024 in Brentwood, NH.
Jeseca Wendel, Public Relations and Community Outreach Manager at Rockingham’s Center said. “We take pride in celebrating our residents’ unique stories. Jean’s life is a testament to hard work and kindness. Hers is a life of service and dedication and the power of giving back to her local community.”
Jean turned 98 years old on January 25, 2025. She is currently a resident of Rockingham County Rehabilitation, Nursing Center, and Assisted Living Community in Brentwood, NH.
Congratulations Jean !