To the Editor:
I was saddened to hear the news of the passing of our friend Jannine Buck. I have a lot of fond memories, laughter, and friendship with Jannine as do so many others. I would like a little of what Jannine was to me.
I knew Jannine from a very young age when she used to ride a strawberry roan horse at my neighbors, the Wilson’s. His name was Peanut Butter. That is one of the reasons that drew us together. I had a Saddlebred named Duchess and every so often we would ride together. Of course, life goes on and high school, sports and things take people in different directions and Jannine, as a young girl married, and I went my way.
My real relationship with Jannine came when we both worked for Bethel Savings Bank, now known as Northeast Bank. Jannine was the CSR or new accounts person, and she was the perfect person for that job because she loved helping people and the people loved her, especially her little senior ladies. Those who knew Jannine know that she was responsible for organizing the annual summer senior citizens’ trip through the bank to Cabbage Island.
How she looked forward to that annual trip and doing this for the senior citizens. Those who went had a wonderful time and lots of laughs with Jannine. She would always come back from that trip with many a story to tell and a laugh to share.
At Bethel Savings Bank she also helped instigate having the CPS school kids’ parade through the bank during their annual Halloween Parade up Main Street. She would make sure we had plenty of apples to pass out to each one of the costumes as they went through the lobby of the bank. It was always so fun to see the kids. How we all looked forward to that time of year.
One year I dressed up like the cleaning lady on the Carol Burnett show, right down to the mop bucket, curlers in my hair, one stocking up, one stocking down, nightgown and an open old bathrobe. I won first place with that costume that year out of the employees, but I will never forget that every time Jannine went by my office door she came in and kept laughing that it was the best costume ever. She could not see me that day without laughing. I loved to hear her laugh.
Jannine was adamant about kids and drug usage. She got involved and organized with Darren Tripp to get the D.A.R.E. program started in the middle school. We did this for several years. I do not know if it is still going on to this day. It was a great program.
Jannine went on cruises with us to the Caribbean islands a few times with Craig and I and Maryvonne and Dennis Wheeler and others in our family. I will never forget riding horses in the ocean with her or swimming with the dolphins in Casa Maya, Mexico.
Prior to the dolphin swim we had to sit and watch a film on the dolphins and what to expect. I sat there beside Janine and started crying. She asked me “are you okay” I said, “I’m just so excited to do this, it’s something I’ve wanted to do all my life.”
She said, “the dolphins are going to really navigate to you because of your heightened emotions.” You know she was right. They kept swimming near me more so than the others and I have to say, sharing that with Jannine was a highlight of my life. Another time she and Dale went on a trip to Yellowstone with Craig and me.
Fun, Fun, Fun. We laughed so hard so many times. Driving into Yellowstone from the east entrance on our first day, we came around a corner and we came right up beside a buffalo walking on the side of the road. Jannine was on the passenger side of the car and so was the buffalo.
When we rounded that corner and was right next to that buffalo, she said “Holy F***.” Of course, laughter erupted. From that minute forward we laughed every time we saw a buffalo the Holy name would come up.
Another moment I remember so vividly. We were staying at the Buffalo Bill Cody Ranch in Cody; Wyoming and it had been a couple of days of day trips. We had a two-bedroom cabin while there. One morning Jannine came running into the bedroom and jumped on top of Craig and was shaking him saying “What are we doing today, what are we doing today, come on let’s go, get up.”
She was like a puppy with a new toy. She loved life. She and I also went on a trail ride behind the ranch while Craig and Dale went brook fishing. We had fun on that trip with Jannine and Dale. Jannine was a huge animal advocate. She loved her animals, and she could not stand it if she saw an animal in a cage or being abused.
She would not hesitate to say something to someone if they were not treating their animal humanely. She hated to see any animal caged and never liked zoos. She wanted to see her animals in the wild and she was especially fond of wolves.
Jannine was Jannine and she could take a hard line. She and Dale shared a heartache in their life that many parents have had to endure and that was the loss of Travis, their son. This was very difficult for them both. I remember her being so excited and a little nervous when she first went to her grandson Trevor in Alaska.
I remember her saying her sisters were going with her at times. She loved her children, both her grandchildren Tristan and Trevor. I was happy to see pictures of Jannine and Dale at Shye’s wedding. You could see a glimmer of wonderful memories in her eyes in those pictures.
Jannine was a happy person she was always looking up, and she always tried to make the best of any situation. She loved smallpoint and those who were lucky enough to visit their camp at smallpoint remember a camp lovingly put together with pictures and seaside memories. She made the best blueberry French toast at camp.
One of the stories I remember hearing that stuck in my mind and does to this day is that as a little girl, Jannine was swimming with her dad. He dove into the water and broke his neck, and she pulled him out. I will never forget that story for as long as I live.
Before Jannine got sick with dementia, she kept saying when she would see me that we have got to go back to Yellowstone, or we have got to go on another cruise and then those memories would pop up and we would laugh. She would say Remember the time I jumped on Craig in bed in Cody or some other thing we had done. How we chuckled.
I remember her making a snowball at the top of the Beartooth pass in Montana and throwing it up in the air. In fact, I think I have that picture. She would say to me we have got to have lunch, or we have got to get together. Let’s you, Craig, Dale & I get together for dinner. Unfortunately, time passed by and before you knew it did not happen. One cannot dwell on the ifs and buts for if you do it will make you crazy.
After Jannine got done at the bank she and Cheryl Eliot would go in and look after elderly folks for many years. They would be their caretakers for those who could not care for themselves. It is sad to say that eventually Jannine became one of those who needed caretaking.
Jannine will always hold a special place in my heart and will always be a part of my memories of trips, cruises, work life, good times, and good friendship. If you have a friend that you have been planning to reach out to, reach out quickly, because life is fleeting and before you know it, they are gone.
How I wish we could have all had one more adventure together. Rest in Peace my friend. I loved you and we love you.
Jane & Craig Ryerson
Bethel
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