Jeannette Evangeline Smith Horvath, was born on April 4, 1928 in Brooklyn, NY, beloved only daughter of James Martin Smith and Grace Jeannette Remy Smith. She was raised in St. Albans, NY and then Tenafly and Englewood, NJ and graduated from Dwight Morrow HS in Englewood in 1945. She moved west to Washington State in 1946 to live with her brother James and his family to work at the Hanford Atomic Research facility. She enrolled at Washington State University, where she met her future husband Louis Horvath, also from NJ, and a student there.
An accomplished musician playing cello, piano, and harp as well as her voice, she also was an avid reader and a delight to know. Her sense of humor and ability to find a "silver lining" was legendary.
Jeanne and Lou moved back to New Jersey to raise their family of four children, mostly in Old Bridge and East Brunswick; where she enjoyed being a homemaker. She worked as a proofreader for the Home News in New Brunswick and for a publisher in Metuchen.
The Horvath’s enjoyed many traveling & educational vacations, as Jeanne and Lou loved to travel. They visited most US states, much of Canada, plus a year-long adventure touring Europe in an RV. Always adventurous, Jeanne instilled curiosity & individuality in her children. She encouraged them to "dance to the beat of their own drum."
She was so happy when her two daughters moved to Maine in 1979. She spent many months in each of their homes before establishing her own home in eastern Maine. She and Lou purchased a lovely property on Copeland Hill in Holden after his NJ retirement in 1986, where he built them their dream home that they enjoyed for 25 years.
She joined the Heart of Maine Chorus of the Sweet Adelines, where she made long lasting friends of over 20 years. She kept up with her love of reading and fell in love with the Boston Red Sox, rarely missing a televised game. She was especially pleased when they won the World Series in November. In the fall of 2012, Jeanne & Lou moved to Sunbury Village in Bangor.
An emergency surgery, compounded by other medical issues, was her eventual cause of death at EMMC on January 16.
She was predeceased by her parents, brother James, niece Judy, and nephew David. She is survived by her husband of 65 1/2 years, Louis, her four children Alexander (Sandy) Horvath and his wife Cherie of East Brunswick, NJ; Wendy Newmeyer and her husband Jack, of West Paris, ME; Robin Zinchuk and her husband Douglas of Bethel, ME and Randy James of Highland Park, NJ.
Also surviving are her eight grandchildren, Alivia Horvath of Los Palmos, Texas, Kira Horvath of Boulder, Colorado, Justen Horvath of East Brunswick, NJ, Shonna Horvath and her fiancée Steve Pietraczenko of South Brunswick, NJ, Daniel Zinchuk and his wife Jen of Los Angeles, CA, Brian Zinchuk and his wife Chaelley of Windham, ME, Kevin Zinchuk of Boston, MA, and Matthew Zinchuk of Bethel, ME, as well as her darling great grandson, Jackson Neal Zinchuk of Windham, ME and several nieces and a nephew.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your favorite charity in Jeannette's memory or consider the Central Asia Institute, P.O. Box 7209, Bozeman, MT 59771, one of her favorite causes.
A celebration of Jeanne's life & reception will be held on Sunday, February 2nd, from 2 - 4 pm at Sunbury Village at 922 Ohio St., Bangor. All friends of Jeanne and Lou are welcomed and encouraged to stop by. Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.BrookingsSmith.com
An accomplished musician playing cello, piano, and harp as well as her voice, she also was an avid reader and a delight to know. Her sense of humor and ability to find a "silver lining" was legendary.
Jeanne and Lou moved back to New Jersey to raise their family of four children, mostly in Old Bridge and East Brunswick; where she enjoyed being a homemaker. She worked as a proofreader for the Home News in New Brunswick and for a publisher in Metuchen.
The Horvath’s enjoyed many traveling & educational vacations, as Jeanne and Lou loved to travel. They visited most US states, much of Canada, plus a year-long adventure touring Europe in an RV. Always adventurous, Jeanne instilled curiosity & individuality in her children. She encouraged them to "dance to the beat of their own drum."
She was so happy when her two daughters moved to Maine in 1979. She spent many months in each of their homes before establishing her own home in eastern Maine. She and Lou purchased a lovely property on Copeland Hill in Holden after his NJ retirement in 1986, where he built them their dream home that they enjoyed for 25 years.
She joined the Heart of Maine Chorus of the Sweet Adelines, where she made long lasting friends of over 20 years. She kept up with her love of reading and fell in love with the Boston Red Sox, rarely missing a televised game. She was especially pleased when they won the World Series in November. In the fall of 2012, Jeanne & Lou moved to Sunbury Village in Bangor.
An emergency surgery, compounded by other medical issues, was her eventual cause of death at EMMC on January 16.
She was predeceased by her parents, brother James, niece Judy, and nephew David. She is survived by her husband of 65 1/2 years, Louis, her four children Alexander (Sandy) Horvath and his wife Cherie of East Brunswick, NJ; Wendy Newmeyer and her husband Jack, of West Paris, ME; Robin Zinchuk and her husband Douglas of Bethel, ME and Randy James of Highland Park, NJ.
Also surviving are her eight grandchildren, Alivia Horvath of Los Palmos, Texas, Kira Horvath of Boulder, Colorado, Justen Horvath of East Brunswick, NJ, Shonna Horvath and her fiancée Steve Pietraczenko of South Brunswick, NJ, Daniel Zinchuk and his wife Jen of Los Angeles, CA, Brian Zinchuk and his wife Chaelley of Windham, ME, Kevin Zinchuk of Boston, MA, and Matthew Zinchuk of Bethel, ME, as well as her darling great grandson, Jackson Neal Zinchuk of Windham, ME and several nieces and a nephew.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your favorite charity in Jeannette's memory or consider the Central Asia Institute, P.O. Box 7209, Bozeman, MT 59771, one of her favorite causes.
A celebration of Jeanne's life & reception will be held on Sunday, February 2nd, from 2 - 4 pm at Sunbury Village at 922 Ohio St., Bangor. All friends of Jeanne and Lou are welcomed and encouraged to stop by. Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.BrookingsSmith.com
Photo Gallery
Guestbook
Visits: 0
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors