Jeanne Wylie Crist, 99 years young, passed from this earth on August 3, 2022. A resident of Kimball Farms in Lenox for 11 years, she made many friends and was able to live near her daughter, Karen Crist Miller and her family.
Born on December 2, 1922, Jeanne was the only child of Hugh Wood Wylie and Nordica Root Wylie of Binghamton, N.Y. Her father rose through the ranks from pharmacy clerk to regional sales with Merck, Sharp and Dohme during the Great Depression and the family lived in Dearborn, Mich., before settling in Albany, N.Y.
Jeanne married her Albany high school sweetheart, Robert W. Crist (“Mike”), in 1947 after working with the Naval Department in New York City and Mike’s service in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II. Two sons were born in New York City before they settled in Westport, Conn., where Karen was born in 1956.
They resided in Westport for nearly 50 years before moving to Lenox in 2011 when Mike’s health faltered. They were members of Saugatuck Congregational Church, loved walking Compo Beach and cherished many friends. In retirement they purchased a cottage on Lake Bomoseen in Vermont where Mike had enjoyed his childhood. Lee’s Point was shared joyously with their children and grandchildren for swimming, boating, badminton, mini-golf, barbecues, board games and so much more. Jeanne and Mike also traveled extensively throughout North America, Europe and Asia.
Jeanne was preceded in death by her husband, Mike, in 2011, her son, Robert Wylie “Lee” Crist (Darlene Trew Crist), in 1983 and son, Jeffrey Hugh Crist, in 2017. She is survived by her daughter, Karen (Matthew Miller), three grandchildren – Matthew Charles “Chas” (Ashley), Geoffrey Robert (Michelle) and Kathleen Wylie “Kaylee”, and five great-grandchildren – Charley Grace, Nuala Allison, Declan Joseph, Wylie Hope and Penelope Dawn.
We are all grateful to the entire Kimball Farms community where Jeanne thrived in many activities and was well served as her health declined, including during the pandemic. Similarly, her care by the BMC medical staff and team was supremely competent and compassionate.
A graveside service will be held at Evergreen Cemetery in Westport, Conn., where she will be interred with her beloved Mike and two sons.
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