Jeanette Charlotte Johnsen passed peacefully in the comfort of her home surrounded by her children on Thursday, March 17th, 2022.
Jeanette was survived by her six children Jimmy, Joanne, Corinne, Elizabeth, Ellen and Lynn, as well as her 7 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.
Jeanette was born on November 3rd, 1931 to Mary and Sankey Magnussen, she had an older sister Hilda and two older half sisters Rose and Stella.
Jeanette was born in Bayridge, Brooklyn and at the age of 4, her mother Mary unexpectedly passed away. Jeanette, Hilda, Stella, Rose and her father Sankey moved in with their Tante Agnes for a period of time. When Jeanette was 8, her father remarried to Edith, they moved into an apartment in Bayridge, Brooklyn and Jeanette began to establish friendships that would last throughout her lifetime. After High School, Jeanette started working her first job as a secretary on John Street in Manhattan, N.Y.. She would many years later work as a part time administrative assistant at Stony Brook University after her husband retired. When Jeanette was 16, she met her future husband Einar Johnsen while attending a dance with her friends at Finn Hall in Brooklyn, N.Y. At the time, Einar was a young Norwegian Sailor working on a Cargo ship traveling between Cuba and Brooklyn transporting sugar. They courted for 2 years before they married and started a family in a small one bedroom apartment. Together they established a close knit group of friends and family, and shortly after, moved out to Long Island and built their forever home on land that was gifted to them by Jeanette's father Sankey. It took Jeanette and Einar 2 years of traveling back and forth on weekends between Brooklyn and Lake Grove, along with the help of Einar's brother Rolf, friends and family to complete the construction. All the while raising the two eldest of their children at this time. Jeanette's sister Hilda and her husband Arne also bought a home and raised their kids nearby, which was ideal for these two best friends. Jeanette would raise 4 more children and was primarily a homemaker when her children were young. At that time, Jeanette, her sister Hilda and her closest friends formed a club they called "The Friendly Circle", that met monthly for good laughs, good food and fellowship. However, their primary focus was to give back by helping others in need. Jeanette and her husband were also proud members of The Sons of Norway Lodge in St. James, N.Y., where they enjoyed the kinship and traditions that they shared with other fellow Norwegian-Americans. Jeanette was a devout and faithful Christian and attended St. James United Methodist Church for more than 40 years. She had many loving memories of "the church on the hill" where several of her dearest friends and family worshiped with her there. Jeanette, Einar and their children enjoyed family road trips, camping and traveling abroad to Norway where the family still owns their father's childhood home in a small seaside town by the name of Farsund. Jeanette loved to entertain family and friends in their cozy home, she was an excellent cook and loved to throw dinner parties. When Jeanette's husband Einar passed and her children were grown, she volunteered at her library as well as a local soup kitchen, where she made lasting friendships. She also enjoyed taking vacations with her sister in law Doris, as well as road trips with her close friends. She also enjoyed teaching herself piano as she loved to learn how to play church hymns, her favorite was "The Old Rugged Cross". But what mattered most to Jeanette, was the importance of family and the quality time that she shared with her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, neices, nephews and everyone who was near and dear to her heart.
Mom, you were the matriarch of our family, a strong willed woman with a soft and loving heart. We love and miss you already, but we are comforted in knowing that you are now with the Lord and resting peacefully.
Lovingly, your children
Jimmy, Joanne, Corinne, Elizabeth, Ellen and Lynn
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