Jean Marie (Hackett) Gaetani Obituary

OLD TOWN--After 97.5 years of life, Jean Marie (Hackett) Gaetani passed away peacefully at her camp on Cold Stream Pond in Enfield, Maine, on August 26 surrounded by her seven children. Born and raised in East Millinocket, Jean Marie Hackett met and married the love of her life Dr Peter Gaetani. They spent their married life together in Old Town where Peter was an optometrist and where they raised their seven children. Jean was the youngest child of Lorenzo Clair Hackett and Martha Ferne (Greenlaw) Hackett. Her extended family was from the Oxbow, Masardis, Island Falls, and Patten area and she had some very entertaining “back in the day” stories involving cousin Ida Mae; Jean was quite the storyteller. Jean will be remembered as a kind, warm, energetic, and humorous woman and as a loving wife, sister, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt, great aunt, and friend.

Jean played women’s basketball at Schenck High School. She graduated from Husson College and worked for the McKernon family’s newspaper The Penobscot Times.  She and Peter shared interesting adventures while Peter spent 2 years as the Optometry Officer at the U. S. Army Hospital at Fort Dix, New Jersey, during the Korean War before settling in Old Town. Over the years, she became accomplished in many creative hobbies and activities, most memorably for family are the knit and crocheted afghans, the baskets she wove, the antiques she collected, the snowmobiling days at the lake, her presence at school and athletic activities, and her membership in local women’s groups, all while raising seven children. She was an avid NY Giants football fan and her children and friends remember that you could only talk during the commercials on game days! She and Peter were snowbirds for many years, enjoying their time at Peck’s Plaza in Daytona Beach Shores with new and old friends. Some of the family’s best memories come from the time spent at the camp on Cold Stream Pond each summer. Stories abound about Jean’s 4th of July parades with music, creative costumes, boat parades, and lots of food with relatives and friends. In recent years, she valued her time riding on the pontoon boat, sitting on the deck at camp visiting with family who were there often and friends Dottie and Howard Folster, as well as her many road trip adventures and Celtics game discussions with Patti Wheelden. Jean treasured all her family and friends, her home and camp were welcoming places.

Jean was predeceased by her husband Dr. Peter Gaetani in August of 2016; by her parents and by siblings Christine Grant and her husband Emery and her brother Richard; by grandson Justin, son of Peter and Cathy Gaetani; and by Gus LeBlanc, husband of Patti Gaetani LeBlanc. Jean will be sadly missed by her three daughters (Patti LeBlanc of Auburn, Janice Anderson and her husband Don of Forest, VA, Judy Wiberg and her husband Erik of Falmouth) and by her four sons (Peter Gaetani and his wife Cathy of Milo, David and his wife Karen of Enfield, Dr John Gaetani and his wife Dr Anne Hall of Old Town, Brian Gaetani and his wife Amy of Brewer) and by her 11 grandchildren (Christina Morse, Nicholas LeBlanc, Jenni Parker, Erin Ford, Garrett Gaetani, Gina Finn, Mark Gaetani, Claire Gaetani, Nichole Guilfoyle, Kate Anderson, Cali Wiberg), and 12 great grandchildren.

Many thanks to Patti Wheelden and Audrey Savoy for being caretakers for many years and to the team at St Joseph Hospice of Bangor who also helped the family keep Jean in her home and camp.

A wake will be held from 4-7:00pm on Sunday, August 30 at Birmingham Funeral Home, 438 Main St, Old Town. A graveside service will be conducted at 11:00am at Lawndale Cemetery, Old Town. Friends and family are invited to join the family for a Celebration of Life at Holy Family Parish Hall at 11:30am for a light luncheon and continued fellowship; parking and entrance can be reached from the Brunswick Street entrance. Those who wish to remember Jean Marie with a donation may make gifts in her memory to The Old Town Public Library, 46 Middle Street, Old Town, Maine 04468.