Jeanette Jo Johnston

From the time Jeanette was born on Monday, September 14, 1959, it was obvious she was special. The sixth child of John Thomas and Marijona Aldona Johnston, Jeanette Jo was born in Astoria General Hospital in Queens, New York. Jeanette was raised in a loving home with four older sisters and one (in her words) handsome brother: Eileen, the eldest, Patricia, Sheila, brother John, and second baby sister (again her words!), Kathleen. This large family grew up in Woodside with little space in a five-room apartment but with plenty of love, togetherness and nurturing. Summers spent in Montauk in a three-room fishing cabin on Ditch Plains road with no source of entertainment but the old radio and themselves brought to this large family closer together and many cherished memories.

The father’s love of fishing was not passed on to Jeanette (or siblings Patricia and Kathleen); however his love for music was passed on to all siblings, especially Jeanette. Rather than his preference for country and Irish music, Jeanette developed her own affinity for the contemporary music of the ‘60’s and ‘70’s, progressing into a unique-among-the-family passion for hip-hop. As Jeanette related to her sister, Sheila, “everyone has their own thing.” In her teen years, Jeanette became a big fan of WBLS-FM, NYC’s #1 source for R&B. In middle age, Jeanette tuned to WCBS-FM on her ever-present transistor radio. She had a distinct ability to identify the title, artist and release year of every song ‘CBS played. Feeling it in her heart and “soul,” Jeanette spent many hours rocking to the beats of her favorite tunes. Nasir “Nas” Jones became her favorite recording artist. Nas, from the nearby Queensbridge Houses, shared Jeanette’s birthday of September 14th.

Nas was a frequent subject of Jeanette’s artwork. Drawing and coloring was another of her passions. Jeanette would blow-up pictures of various artists, trace the outlines of their faces, and render them in Crayola. Preferring to spend time alone, Jeanette created a friend in her imagination, the black “Jackson Browne.” Born on Christmas, December 25th, 1973, Jackson Browne was Jeanette’s #1 subject for her portraits. Her Jackson Browne was the photo-negative of the musical artist of the same name, who Jeanette considered a “cutie.” Invariably when asked what she wanted for Christmas, Jeanette replied “a Jackson Browne t-shirt.” When Jeanette was confined to her bed in her final days, her J.B. sweatshirt in her favorite color blue was folded in a way so that she could see his handsome face. One morning when one of his songs started on the radio, she quickly turned her head toward his image and exclaimed, “What?!” Jeanette had many ways of bringing smiles to our faces.

She had a unique way of looking at the world. Her fear of the opposite sex compelled her to create a safe boyfriend in her “Jackson Browne.” At the start of her radiation in March 2012, the kind and compassionate staff of Drs. Varsos and Dimoulas took the time to get to know the special person that Jeanette was so that they could best administer to her. Elsie summarized, “so Jeanette, you’re single, never married?” Jeanette replied, “Right, I don’t need any man messing up my life!” “And you have no allergies?” Jeanette: “I’m allergic to one thing: rape and murder!”  Elsie good-naturedly replied, “I think I’m allergic to that, too!”

Although one in a family of eight, Jeanette had an understandably close relationship with her mother. Upon Mother’s passing, we all feared for Jeanette’s ability to adjust. But Jeanette was a trooper. She surprised us all when she did a silent “performance piece” in the modern dance style before numerous family members that physically expressed the grief she felt on the loss of her mother. A very special moment indeed. Inspired by her grand-nephew, Johnny, Jeanette stood to speak to the visitors at Mom’s wake to relate her own memories. She overcame her aversion to the telephone, calling her sister every morning so Kathleen would know Jeanette was all right.

She faced her illness with similar strength. Mostly stoic and brave, there were times though when she lamented, “It should not have to be like this! I should be able to walk around like any ‘normal’ person!” She would often say to Kathleen, “Let me ask you something. What is causing this pain in my leg?” Other times, she would ask “when is this going to go away?” Kathleen could not bear to tell her the whole awful truth.

Her family finds solace knowing Jeanette is no longer suffering and is finally at peace. Jeanette will be laid to rest with her beloved parents at Calverton National Cemetery on Long Island.