Helen Jeannine Jacob

Helen Jeannine Jacob, nee Turner, a career nurse, wife, mother, and life-long Christian has died at age 87, eight years after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

Helen, known to most as Jean, and to her nearest and dearest as Jeannie/Popcorn Jeannie /Aunt Jeannie-Beanie, was born to Alf and Helen (Belfry) Turner on April 5, 1938, in Prince Albert Saskatchewan.

Jean attended school in Prince Albert and Melfort, Saskatchewan. She entered training at Holy Family Hospital in Prince Albert, earning her registered nursing certification in 1959 and a subsequent RPN at North Battleford Mental Hospital in 1961. After graduation she worked at City Hospital Saskatoon and Melfort Union Hospital.

In 1962 Jean became a public health nurse in central Saskatchewan. Through work she met Gerry, who happened to be working as a social worker in the same region. From the moment she saw him she said she “knew I was a goner”. And because she was a shocking 18 months older than him, Gerry often teased her that he had saved her from a life of “spinsterdom”. They were engaged in May of 1963 and married in September of the same year. Their first son Rod was born in 1964.

A year later Jean, Gerry and baby Rod located to Toronto while Gerry completed a Master’s degree. Life was austere in that Scarborough apartment with a few brick and board book shelfs, and one heavily rotated Gordy Lightfoot album.

Daughter Carla was born in October, 1965.

In 1967, done university and homesick for the prairies the family moved to Regina where Jean worked full-time as a mom and casually as a nurse.

In 1974 baby number three, Stephen, was born.

Jean was a dedicated and skilled nurse. From the 1960s to 2003, she worked in acute care, psychiatric care, public health, rehabilitation, and seniors’ care. She served 10 years as Coordinator for Staff Training and as Assistant Director at Regina Lutheran Home.

Jean was active in church life, both in the United Church and then, during married life, with several congregations in the Lutheran Church.

Jean loved music. As a little girl in Northern Saskatchewan she announced that she would be an opera singer when she grew up. And though that didn’t happen she remained fascinated and knowledgeable about many kinds of music. She could often be heard singing and humming throughout the house.

She loved camping and the epic VW van road trips that her family made yearly to BC.

Her baking was excellent and she filled the house with beautiful things to eat. There was no such thing as no dessert in Jeannie’s home. Her laughter and energy were always a key element of get-togethers with family and friends.

After retirement in 1994 Jean and Gerry moved to Royston on Vancouver Island, eventually settling in Nanaimo in 2010.

In 2017, Jean was formally diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. She entered care at Eden Gardens, Nanaimo, where she received excellent care through to her passing May 16, 2025.

This cruel disease was understandably difficult for Jean and her family, but they were supported by relatives, friends and members of Hope Lutheran Church as well as the caring and professional staff at Eden Gardens.

Jean is survived by Gerald, her husband of 61 years; son Rod (Monica) of Whitehorse; daughter Carla (Gord) of Toronto; Stephen of Victoria; and grandchildren Willem Bayly and Helen Bayly of Toronto; nieces Shanti Eberlein and Linde Mortinson; and nephew Daniel Hallet. She is predeceased by her parents, Alf and Helen Turner and by her sister, Dixie Hallet.

Jean’s family would like to extend their deepest thanks to caregivers and staff at Eden Gardens who provided kind and gentle care to Jean throughout her more than five years at the facility.

A memorial service for Jean will be held at Hope Lutheran Church, 2174 Departure Bay Road, Nanaimo, British Columbia, on August 8, 2025, at 1:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please make any donations in Jean’s memory to Eden Gardens’ programs for elder care: https://edengardens.ca/donate.