Jeannine H. Schmidt

Jeannine was born in 1929, in Warren, Pa., to George and Mae Hunzinger. She was the fifth of five children. On Oct. 29 of that year the stock market crashed launching the great depression. Jeannine’s father lost the family home. Something she spoke of frequently.

During the occupation following World War II, her future husband and love of her life, Copeland Hanna Schmidt, was sent overseas to Japan. Married in 1949, the newlyweds moved to Baltimore, Md.

With little formal education but a substantial work ethic, Jeannine kept the household running, cooking, sewing and minding the children, while Cope finished his bachelor’s degree. Following graduation the couple and their two children moved to Buffalo, N.Y., then Canada and then to Pittsburgh, Pa., where two additional children joined the family. From here the family was transferred to the Chicagoland area, where Cope and Jeannine spent the rest of their years together.

A few years after the passing of Cope, Jeannine moved to Williamsburg, Va., where she and Cope had planned to retire. She loved to golf, garden, entertain, and maximize the educational and cultural offerings of her new home.

Jeannine loved animals and became an active docent for many years with the Brookfield Zoo in Illinois. She loved to travel the world and had many splendid trips with family and Cope, but her favorite was the African Safari they took after Cope retired. Jeannine loved her Pittsburgh Pirates and mourned the death of Roberto Clemente every baseball season.

Jeannine is survived by two daughters; one son; a daughter-in-law; a son-in- law; seven grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews and many great-nieces and nephews.

Memorials can be made to the charity of the donor’s choice or to the Brookfield Zoo – Chicago Zoological Society https://www.czs.org/Brookfield-ZOO/Donate/Donate-Now/Tribute.aspx