Obituary of Jean Whitehead

Jean Whitehead, a beloved Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother, died peacefully at home in Delaware County, NY on January 9, 2022 surrounded by her family at age 79.

Jean was born July 25, 1942 to Jane Clearwater and Harry Dubois in West Camp Town of Saugerties, NY. Shortly after graduating from Saugerties Central High School, she married her childhood sweetheart Rodney Whitehead on August 13, 1960. Jean was predeceased by the love of her life after he lost his battle with lung cancer in 2004, they were married 43 years.

Jean had a true love of flowers and a green thumb when it came to gardening and spent many hours tending to her beautiful flower beds at her homestead where she was born and lived until 2018 where upon she moved to live with her granddaughter and to be close to her family in Delaware County, NY. Jean had many interests and could often be found knitting and crocheting, playing cards, scrabble, westerns and old classic movies, camping and countless fishing excursions with her husband. She enjoyed her trips with her daughter Eva to Florida and visiting the beach which she talked about frequently. She was eager to travel and always a co-conspirator of a spur of the moment trip to anywhere and everywhere. She enjoyed the delicacies of food her daughter Cheri made and would be the first in line to sample old family recipes and new recipes her daughter cooked, she spent the last couple years, days before Christmas at Cheri’s house enjoying the Christmas smells of fresh baked cookies and sampling them all. She was a proud grandmother of two and great mother of five. She took pride in her grandson Gavin. Gavin shared a love of fishing and that brought a sense of joy and comfort knowing that her husbands spirit was always present in him. Her granddaughter Alison was her kindred spirit. She often talked about the places they’ve traveled together and the many adventures they had. She made her home, for the last 4 years, with Alison and her husband and great granddaughter. Being a great grandmother was something Jean was most proud of. She could often be found eagerly helping her great grandchildren get into a little mischief. They brought a true happiness to her life. Her great granddaughter Adali was what brought her the most joy the past 5 years, the two share an unbreakable bond.

“How does one become a butterfly?” Pooh asked pensively. “You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar”, Piglet replied. “You mean die?” asked Pooh. “Yes and no” he answered. “What looks like you will die, but what’s REALLY you will live on.” - Winnie The Pooh -

Jean is survived by daughter Cheri Miglianti and husband Danny, daughter Eva Willsey and partner Kimberly, grandson Gavin West and wife Kimberly, granddaughter Alison O’Bryan and husband Adam, great grandchildren Isaac, Emaleah, Lawson, Asa (West) and Adali O’Bryan.

She is pre deceased by her husband Rodney Whitehead, parents Harry and Jane Dubois and several brothers and sisters.

Donations can be made to Helios Care (Hospice) in lieu of flowers.

Graveside services will be held at 12:00PM on Friday, January 14, 2021 at Blue Mountain Cemetery, Saugerties, NY

Please visit www.macarthurfh.com to share a condolence with Jean’s family.