Jeanette Hawkins

Jeanette Ruth Grayson was born on March 10th, 1926 in Jacksonville, Florida. She died on August 17th, 2024 in Spokane, Washington. She had an older sister, Gloria, and a younger brother, Bernard, who died when he was a toddler. 

Jeanette was orphaned before her teen years. Her mother died from Botulism due to bad oysters and a few years later her father died of a heart attack at the young age of 45. She and her sister Gloria moved from Florida to California with their father before he died. During this time Jeanette lived with a foster couple and attended high school. Gloria married and left the area. Jeanette finished her junior year and decided she needed to start taking care of herself, so she quit school and landed a job in the credit office at the Broadway in downtown Los Angeles. This is how she meant Louise Coleston, who would introduce her to her future husband, Bruce Coleston, on a blind date. Bruce was the older brother of Louises’ husband Bob. On October 13th, 1944 Bruce and Jeanette were married in a simple ceremony at the court house in San Francisco. They produced 2 children who gave them 7 grandchildren and ultimately seventeen great-grandchildren. Jeanette was widowed in her sixties.

 Jeanette became a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ at a young age and was later baptized in a Baptist church around the age of 15. Her faith was a quiet faith but a strong faith that would see her through till the very end.

There is much more to say about a woman who was proud of her "Irish". She never flew on a plane nor ever left the United States of America, which she dearly loved. She was a hard worker at whatever task she took on. Caring for the family, working in the yard, cleaning the house, taking care of animals, PTA, family gatherings, camping trips, and her many jobs outside her home. Jeanette was a true servant and she enjoyed a full and meaningful life.

 Jeanette made a positive difference in those who knew her. She loved life, though for her, it was filled with many obstacles, she remained a loving, kind, and gentle person. She literally saved two lives that we know of. Her strength was from the Lord as her testimony reveals, the Lord directly speaking to her as a little girl….” I will always take care of you”.

 We all love you and will miss you until we meet again.