Jeannette A Naylor

Marie Jeannette Anna Champagne Naylor entered this life on September 29, 1921, born to her parents Rose and Phillip Champagne in New Bedford, Massachusetts. French was her first language, learned from what was spoken in her home, and she learned Portuguese from her neighborhood playmates as she grew up in the whaling capital of the world. She didn’t speak English until age 12, and you would have heard the accent of Rhode Island in her conversation, where she lived for many years after her marriage to Walter Edward Naylor. They truly enjoyed a loving relationship for their entire 56 years together, partners in love, family, and community.

If you had met Jeannette early in her marriage, you would have seen her with her hands dirty, digging in the dirt on their farm in Rhode Island. At different times she and her beloved Eddie raised turkeys, goats, cows, and their six children, who today are:

Sandra Prandy of Las Vegas, NV

Raymond (Ray) Naylor (deceased)

Robert (Bob) Naylor and his wife Deb of North Grosvenordale, CT

Frederic (Fred) Naylor and his wife Eileen of Chepachet, RI

Madelyn Hopkins of Davenport, FL

Thomas (Tom) Naylor and his wife Melinda Walsh of Baton Rouge, LA.

Sadly, she lost Ray to an accident when he was 21 years old, and carried on despite this tragic loss.

At 103, she saw a lot of change, both in the world and in her life. There have been 20 US Presidents across that time; man walked on the moon; and the creation of the internet allowed her to FaceTime with her five adult children; 13 grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren, sharing laughter and connection across time and space. Whether it was playing cards while eating gingersnaps and ice cream, or ziplining the Adirondacks with her grandchildren, spending time with family recharged her batteries. Grammy was vibrant and full of life!

After the loss of her husband, Eddie, she decided that adventure would help her manage her grief. She followed her daughter Madelyn to Singapore when Madelyn moved for business. While she loved the Lord from an early age, it was at a service while listening to a speaker from Australia that she became “born again” at age 80. After accepting the Lord, she was baptized in the pool on the roof of her hotel in Singapore. From then on, her faith has been a driving force and comfort in her life.

If you knew Jeannette, you knew the person who was a beloved part of the community. Her loving heart was evident, seen in every hug and high-five when greeting the children at church, or laughing in fellowship with her many friends—both locally and far and wide. We have all been touched by her, and we are profoundly grateful that God has brought her into our lives and allowed us to enjoy her for as long as we have!

Jeannette certainly was surrounded by love.

And she still is.