Josephine "Jeanne" Beirne

Jeanne Beirne, our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and community leader, passed to the Lord at Odd Fellows Skilled Nursing East Care in Walla Walla, WA on December 31, 2022, after a long struggle with Lewy Body Neurodegenerative Disease.

Jeanne was born and raised in Lake Charles, LA where she graduated as a valedictorian from high school. She received a Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, from St. Thomas University in Houston, TX with a double major in French and English. During her high school and college years Jeanne held multiple leadership positions including yearbook editor, newspaper co-editor, and class representative on student council, in addition to working part time as a bookkeeper for a Houston insurance agency. In 1970, Jeanne earned a master's degree in French Literature from Rice University.

She met Jim Beirne in college while directing him in a play. They married in Lake Charles in 1970, and she supported the couple with a teaching position while he attended medical school in Houston. She and Jim moved to Salt Lake City for his medical residency, where the couple welcomed daughters Amy and Sandra, and learned to ski in Utah's Wasatch Mountains.

Jeanne was delighted to establish a permanent home in Walla Walla in 1979. She took an active volunteer role in the community, particularly within the education sector, serving in many teaching and volunteer leadership roles. These ranged from substitute language teacher in District 140 public schools, Berney Elementary School PTA president, and Walla Walla PTA Council President. She was an enthusiastic member of the American Association of University Women, chairing numerous committees and overseeing events. She volunteered as a Campfire group leader, and later served as Walla Walla Campfire's Program Director. Jeanne's volunteer work continued as a Carnegie Picture Lady in the elementary schools, teaching Cajun cooking in the adult education program at Walla Walla Community College and using her fluency in French as local friendship family support for the native speakers in Whitman's French house. Jeanne also volunteered regularly in Assumption Church as Eucharistic Minister, Lector, Assumption Women's Church cleaning volunteer and funeral meal helper. She organized and taught Tri-parish Confirmation Classes for five years.

Jeanne was elected to and served two terms as a District 140 School Board member, serving on many district committees and on the WIAA school directors/athletic directors' joint committee in Seattle. Her Golden Apple award for service to the school district was one of her most treasured possessions.

Jeanne will be remembered by her many friends as a fun loving, energetic Jazzerciser, YMCA water aerobics member, "roadie" for the "Back to the 50's" Rock and Roll Band, a Cajun-cooking Louisiana girl, a passionate supported of the education of girls, and one of the kindest hearted, sweetest women you ever met.

She is survived by her husband Jim of 52 years; daughter Amy Verbeten, with her husband Dan and their daughter Greta of Driggs, ID; and daughter Sandra Beirne, with her husband Will Finn and their son Jasper of Durango, CO. She was preceded in death by parents Verle May and Clyde Clooney of Lake Charles, LA.

Jeanne and family are grateful for her wonderful friends ("The Angels") who were so kind and supportive throughout her illness, and we will never forget the compassionate and loving care of the nurses, care givers and staff members in the East Care Skilled Nursing Unit at Odd Fellows.

A Celebration of Life memorial service will take place in March of 2023, with details to be determined. Contributions in Jeanne's memory may be made to the Christian Aid Center of Walla Walla, Campfire Walla Walla, The Washington Odd Fellows Home Endowment Fund, the YMCA of Walla Walla, or AAUW of Walla Walla.