Jeanette Lois Firth

Jeanette was born on a dairy farm in Western New York, the second of five children to the parents of Ralph Botsford and Alice Maus. As a teenager, she was busy in church and Sunday School, 4-H, and the Juvenile Grange. She was a delegate to the State 4-H Club Congress held at Cornell University. She was chosen to attend the American Youth Foundation in Michigan.

Three FBI employees came to her high school during her senior year and suggested she work for the FBI in Washington, D.C. as a fingerprint technician. While there she became very involved in a Methodist Church. She met a young adult pastor by the name of Warren Firth who was serving at the church during the summer.

A year later, Warren Firth and Jeanette were married at her home church in Otto, N.Y. by his older brother, Bill. They went to Union Theological Seminary in N.Y. City. Later he was appointed to serve the Brooklyn Methodist Church. Their son, John, was born there. Later Warren transferred to the Baltimore Conference where their daughter, Laurie, was born. Years later, the family moved to California to serve with his brother, Ray, in Long Beach.

Jeanette had opportunities to serve wherever Warren was appointed. She was a willing hostess in their parsonages and always helped with leading where there was a need, especially with the children, youth and women’s organizations.

Jeanette earned her BA degree at was then San Fernando Valley State College and also her M.A. Later she earned her M.S. Degree in Learning Handicapped at California Lutheran University. She taught second grade in the San Fernando Valley and later taught special education, retiring in 1985. She served as Director of Children’s Ministry at the Santee United Methodist Church for four years. In 2003 they moved to Mt. Miguel Covenant Village in Spring Valley, CA.

Warren and Jeanette were married for 66 ½ years when Warren passed away in 2012.

Jeanette leaves their son John (Jean) of Copperas Cove, Texas; daughter Laurie Brown of San Diego, CA; four grandchildren, Edward Firth (Summer), Michael Firth, Kathy Kirkendall , Jim Kirkendall (Alexis) and two step grandchildren, Diane and Brian (Missy) Brown. She also leaves eight grandchildren, Matthew and Alyssa Firth; Kate, Molly and Addison Firth; Kaitlyn Kirkendall, and Trevor and Isaac Kirkendall, three step grandchildren, Casey, Zachary and Taylor Brown, numerous nieces and nephews. She has one surviving brother – Robert (Fay) Botsford of Cattaraugus, NY.

Besides her husband, Jeanette was preceded in death by her parents, two sisters –

Mae Eleanor Nuse, Marilyn Wasmund; one brother - Marvin Botsford; her son in law, the Rev. Eldon Brown and her granddaughter in law, Amy (Henderson) Firth.

Jeanette was an inspiration to her entire family and will be greatly missed.