Jeanette Delores Veeder

Jeanette Veeder, 81, the beloved matriarch of the Veeder and Minervini families, passed away on Sunday, December 11, 2022, at Cordia, after a lengthy and valiant battle with Parkinson’s Disease. On the day she died, she was visited by countless loved ones who came to pay their respects to their cherished, mother, sister, aunt and friend. Jeanette died nearly one year to the day after her husband Harry, who passed away on December 12, 2021. They were married 56 years. Jeanette was born the eldest of three children to Rinaldo and Adeena Minervini (Sordino) on January 10, 1941 in Detroit, MI. She was a 1958 graduate of East Detroit High School. Jeanette was the first in her family to attend college and received a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Michigan University in Physical Education. After graduation, Jeanette taught high school Phys. Ed. at East Detroit High School, where she met Harry, a handsome young History teacher who became her husband. Jeanette was a consummate creative. She was an accomplished dancer and spent a summer at Interlochen Center for the Arts in their dance program. She was an expert weaver, spinning her own yarn from raw wool and sold her hand-woven clothes in various boutiques. Jeanette was best known for her dressmaking and design business. After leaving Milliken’s department store as head of alterations Jeanette began a decades long career in dressmaking. She was prolific in her dressmaking and made hundreds of custom wedding dresses, prom dresses and bridesmaid dresses for generations of women. “Your mom made my dress,” is a comment her children often hear when meeting new people from town. Jeanette was raised in a close knit extended Italian American family, where cousins grew up like siblings and aunts and uncles were aplenty. Her parents taught Jeanette and her siblings the importance of family, respect for their heritage and respect for their timeless family traditions. Her love of family and her legendary cooking skills were intricately woven into the fabric of a life committed to bringing people together. Her joy was to prepare her generations-old recipes from the Abruzzi region in Italy and immerse herself in lively conversation and laughter. Jeanette revered all things Italian. Whether it was fashion, food or folks – if it was Italian, it was perfect. Jeanette’s greatest treasures were her children. She leaves behind her four children, Jennifer Gaston, Joseph Veeder, Winfred Veeder and cherished stepdaughter Nell (Monty) Newton. She is also survived by her brother Ray (Marsha) Minervini and sister Minerva Minervini. The light of her life were her grandchildren. She was the most loving and lively grandma to Henry and Lulu Newton, and Bella and Will Gaston. Jeanette was preceded in death by her parents and husband. Visitation for family and friends will be held Thursday, December 29, 2022 from 4 to 7 at Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home, 305 Sixth Street, Traverse City. Visitation will be held again on Friday, December 30 at Immaculate Conception Church at 10 am, followed by a funeral Mass at 11 am. Burial services will be held in the spring. Those wishing to offer expressions of sympathy are encouraged to make a memorial contribution to the Women’s Resource Center, 720 S. Elmwood, Ste. 2, Traverse City, MI 49684.

Jeanette Delores Veeder

January 10, 1941 - December 11, 2022