So sorry to my Cousins on the loss of their Mother,my Aunt Jeanne...Life is short and we never know when our time is up,so live it to its fullist,as Aunt Jeanne did and loved each and everyone of you so much..RIP Aunt Jeanne and you will never be forgottten..Thanks for all our chats...

• I first met Jeanne there as a young wife and mother in a new country . She made me like her, all the other 'wives' avoided me . Jeanne was determined to get to know me .We had both had similar circumstances in our young  lives , and l suppose that united us at first. 

We used to scour thrift stores and libraries for plant books together.l vividly remember when  she found THE picture of a purple vanda orchid  ,she was hooked , driven to find orchids , this was  pre internet !  It took me a bit to like orchids , l  thought them impossible for 'commoners' without a greenhouse . Jeanne showed  me otherwise .10's of thousands(?)  of experiments later we both learned to maintain most plants . 

She had a zest for life and everything it had to offer her . Untold times she'd call and say lets go exploring  during kids school hours , from the early days of the GBG on Chippenham, to Gordonsville's Floradise. To quiet unassuming little places ( now closed) in the nearby countrysides of Powhatan, Chesterfield , Henrico , the old Pottery in Williamsburg , even ventured into North Carolina once .. We were never short of at least one exhilarating find. 

We'd chat on the way about life and family , griped about world affairs and bad drivers with equal measure .We solved all problems , only if THEY would let us  !

We had planned for a trip to Florida in spring  to places she wanted to show me  from her last trip there . I feel robbed , is that the right word ? So incredibly saddened by her sudden death . I cant erase her last text reply to me .Because of the lingering temptation to see if she'd answer me one more time .

One could imagine shes gardening in heaven now, free of all the stresses and cares of this world  and that is a tiny comfort . Save me a spot to tend with you , Jeanne?  

Jeanne's favorite artist