Jeannette Fay Hense, aged 85 years, passed away on September 2, 2024 after a long battle with debilitating Dementia at the nursing home in Tarpon Springs Florida, where she was well taken care of. She was born on February 18,1939 to Lawrence and Yolande Pilon. She was a 1957 graduate of Flint Central High School. She married Adolf Hense on January 27, 1962 in Flint, Michigan. She worked as a Kelley girl for many years and eventually became a full time Executive Secretary at A/C Delco, which than became Delco Electronics which is a subsidiary of General Motors Corporation. She and Adolf enjoyed playing golf, bowling, boating, and getting together with many friends and family. She went on to retire from General Motors and became a snowbird in Florida in winter months then went on to move to Florida full time and has spent the last 24 years here. While living in Florida she was very active in the Moose Lodge and held many roles there including Senior regent, the highest honor for a woman which she was very proud of. Jeannette was a very loving, caring and supportive mother and wife throughout her life, always putting others first. Before here battle with Dementia she took care of Adolf through his surgeries, cancer and all his illness and was always there for her children no matter what. She was predeceased by her son Adolf Hense Jr., and her husband Adolf Hense. She is survived by her son Kurt Hense (Tiffany), son Karl Hense (Karen) and her daughter Kirsten Johnson (Kenneth), and many grandchildren, great grandchildren and nieces and nephews.

MY MOTHER FOUND PEACE AFTER DEMENTIA

The last year leading up to my mother’s death were physically and emotionally trying. The last two weeks has been a total nightmare watching her struggle to hold her head up, trying to speak but couldn’t. Seeing her body succumb a little more each day to dehydration. We told her it was okay for her to go but her stubborn little body and her strong will kept fighting. I was constantly racking my brain, trying to figure out what or whom she was waiting on. My most emotional moment was was holding her hand, crying while telling her it was okay to go be with your husband. I told her how much I Ioved her and always will. I also remember my husband sitting by her side talking to her for several minutes every day we went there. He told me later that he told her we would all be okay. I told my husband “I feel like when I hold her hand I’m asking her to stay with me.” For some reason, I knew that she would let go when no one was watching her, I felt she wanted it that way. After being at the nursing home, watching and waiting, that two weeks every day I saw her all I could do was tell her that I loved her and that soon she would find peace.

HER BATTLE WAS OVER

After a couple of days of absorbing the shock and trying to erase that final image of my mother’s lifeless body, I woke up feeling at peace, although I miss her so much and the pain of losing her will take time to heal. Her battle was over. My year of worry, tears, and constant attachment to my cell phone, expecting calls from nurses in the middle of the night, were over. No more suffering, no more pain, no more Dementia. A Celebration of her life and her husband Adolf will be at a later date to be determined in Flint, Michigan at Flint Memorial Cemetery where their ashes will find their final resting place next to their son.