Plan for the Future
~~Jeanne Tucker Zenker died peacefully Wednesday, November 30, 2016, at Fellowship Village, Basking Ridge, NJ, surrounded by her family. She was 87.
Jeanne was born on June 22, 1929 to Mabel C. and Roy E. Tucker in Rockville Centre, NY where she attended elementary school and St. Mary’s for high school, the latter being a source of friendships lasting her entire life. Jeanne graduated from Connecticut College in 1951. She and her husband, Dr. David O. Zenker, were married on July 26, 1952. Throughout her life she maintained close friendships with several of her classmates from both high school and college. Jeanne, who resided in Vero Beach, FL and Edgartown, MA, had a lifelong, heartfelt connection to Morristown, NJ, first through her parent’s farm, where she and her brother, Robert A. Tucker, who passed away October 23rd, spent their summers riding and swimming, and later with her husband, who practiced ENT medicine at the Morristown Medical Center.
In addition to her first callings as wife, mother and grandmother, Jeanne served her various communities by supporting many worthy institutions and organizations with her time and gifts. She was an active member of the board of trustees of Drew University in Madison, NJ from 1977-2003 and subsequently a member Emerita for the balance of her life. While she enjoyed all aspects of her involvement with the university, Jeanne had a particular interest in her active role with Friends of Mead Hall, the group responsible for preserving and maintaining the campus’ primary historic building. Jeanne was also recognized by Connecticut College for her enthusiastic efforts as a devoted alumna, who inspired her classmates to record rates of participation in class giving.
Jeanne was also a faithful summer resident of Martha’s Vineyard for 49 years where she enjoyed the island’s broad range of people and charms as well as the comings and goings of her children and grandchildren. Jeanne lived a full and complete life, pursuing many personal interests such as
travel, books, singing, current events, interior design, her investment club, NY theater & symphony, bridge and a long term passion for collecting dolls and miniature furniture. Over the past couple of years she arranged for her miniatures to become part of the permanent collection of the Morris Museum in Morristown, NJ.
Jeanne was loved deeply by all those who knew her, but none more than by her loving husband of 60 years with whom she is now reunited. They shared the love of their three surviving children, David Jr. of New York City; Barbara Parker and her husband, Oliver Parker, of Hamilton, Mass., and Anne Zenker of Hingham, MA. and her grandchildren, Sarah Parker, Elizabeth Mackell Clancey & her husband, Drew, Amory Parker, Anna Parker, Chloe Mackell, David O. Zenker III, Charlie Parker, Peter Mackell, Isabelle Mackell, Pauline Zenker and Cole Lilore.
A memorial service for Jeanne will be held at the First Presbyterian Church of New Vernon, 2 Lee’s Hill Road, New Vernon, N.J. 07976 on Saturday, December 17, 2016 at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to: Friends of Mead Hall, Drew University, 36 Madison Avenue, Madison, NJ 07940 or Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust, P.O. Box 5277, Edgartown, MA 02539.
To send the family a message of condolence, please go to www.www.bradleyfuneralhomes.com.