Jean Spicer Dern

Jean Spicer Dern, of Rexford, NY, formerly of Canajoharie, died Friday evening at The Community Hospice at St. Peter's Hospital, Albany, after a brief illness. She was born in Wellsville, NY on February 3, 1921. She was the daughter of Elmer Delancy Spicer and Inez Farnum Spicer. Jean was a graduate of the Brown School, Schenectady, NY and Sarah Lawrence College, cum laude. She was married to James Richard Dern in May 1943 in Schenectady, NY. During World War II, she was a caseworker with the American Red Cross. She and her husband moved to Canajoharie in 1946 when Jim accepted an entry level position as a night cleaner with the Beech Nut Company. Jean was active in the local community. She was a Girl Scout leader and a member of the local Canajoharie council for many years. She was a board member of the Canajoharie Library and Art Gallery for forty years, serving for more than twenty years as secretary of the organization and on the book committee. She was a volunteer with the Mid-County Ambulance Corps in its early years. Jean was a member of the former Colonial Club for more than fifty years. She was a member of the Reformed Church of Canajoharie. She enjoyed gardening, doing crossword puzzles, reading about local history, feeding birds, observing wildlife and trips to the Adirondack Mountains. She was a caring person, always happy to assist others in any way she could. She was predeceased by her husband of fifty-three years in 1996, her elder son, Peter, in 1949, and her brother E. Farnum Spicer in 1994. She is survived by her son, Michael Rhonda of Evergreen, CO and three daughters: Judith of Seattle, WA, Susan Plank David of Slingerlands, NY, and Ann Freebing William of Austin TX. She is also survived by her eight grandchildren: Kelsey, Ryan, Breton, Daren and Gillen Freebing, Elena Plank McCoy, Nathan and Courtney Dern. She and her dear friend and companion, Hal Hennessy, enjoyed many good times together in recent years. A Service of Remembrance will take place on Saturday, August 11, 2012 at 2 o'clock at the Canajoharie Reformed Church, Front Street, Canajoharie, NY 13317. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. Interment took place in Canajoharie Falls Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations may be made to the Ayres Memorial Animal Shelter, 133 Hilltop Road, Sprakers, NY 12166 or The Canajoharie-Palatine-Root Community Chest, P.O. Box 36, Canajoharie, NY 13317. Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Lenz & Betz Funeral Home, 69 Otsego Street, Canajoharie, NY 13317.