Dear Jean,
I'm so sorry for the health struggles you are having to endure. I know that life has shared with you some of its cruellest challenges. Nonetheless, you have always carried on with tremendous grace and selflessness. I wish you great strength and courage of mind, body, and spirit as you face another challenge. I am sure that you will rise above, continuing to be one of the most kind, thoughtful, generous, and loving people I know; you truly are a canny lass.

I remember when I met you and Leslie on my first trip to England. I had heard so many wonderful things about you both from Melanie. You were super hosts, you showed me a terrific time and made me feel right at home. Picnics have been a common theme that has run throughout the years when I've been with you. My maiden visit to Newcastle was no exception. We had lovely days out with your delicious treats to enjoy as a picnic at scenic and memorable destinations.

The picnics continued when you and Pat visited Melanie and I in Boston. What a fantastic trip. You, like I, experienced some travel sickness to start your journey, but in true Jean fashion you carried on with no faff or fuss. I'm so glad you did, as that was one of the most fun times of my life. I used to look forward to my lunch breaks at work to see you and Pat and hear what you had been up to in the morning and to learn of your plans for the afternoon. I was also excitedly curious to see what culinary delights you had prepared for that days picnic. While everyone else in my office was scoffing down their midday meal, I was sharing my goodies with a pair of goodies in you and Pat. I'm so glad that Boston left a good impression on you, because I'm sure that there are countless numbers of people in Boston who still think fondly of the Charming Geordie Woman who they met one fine summers day in 1992.

When I moved to Tynemouth you were as welcoming as ever. You were so nice to my family when they visited. You made a huge impression on them as they always ask after you and speak glowingly of you whenever we get together or talk on the phone. It has been very heart-warming for me that you always ask after my family.

Your caring nature shines through in the simplest of things; a warm and genuine question about my Mother or Ryan; always coupled with a memory of the finest details in their life. As a teacher at Priory Primary School, and participating in my first Tynemouth Festival Parade, my nerves were kept in check as I looked forward to the Picnic that I would share with you, Melanie, Pat, and Neville at the gates of the Priory Ruins.

I carry many joyful memories of Picnics with you Jean, but one in particular took place at one of my favourite vistas. It was a warm and sunny summer's evening in Tynemouth. On a whim, Melanie asked you if you would like to take a ride along the coast. It was a beautiful night, and you both grabbed some fish and chips and then met me on the park benches upon the bluff overlooking the Priory Ruins and the Sea. As we sat and chatted, the easterly sky gradually began to turn a marbled pink. Ice cream was the chaser to the fried super. It is my most cherished place to sit and reflect and it couldn't have been any more special than to have shared it with you. That is how I recall those benches, not with seagulls sailing overhead or with fishing boats bringing in their catch, but with you, enjoying some warm summer breezes.

You are a very skilled and multi talented woman. From the fine precision of Decoupage, to the Glorious Gardens you have always cultivated, you are a master at your many crafts. I have the socks to prove it. More than twenty years on, the socks you so kindly darned for me are a 'shoe-in’ for one of your sturdiest pieces of work. My taste buds have been delighted with your baked goods and I have felt your warmth through your hard work with your quilts. But perhaps your greatest and most enduring creations are the people who love and care for you deeply because of your presence in their lives. I am blessed to be one amongst very many.
Shine on Jean :-)
Love,
Michael