Jeanne Bennett Ivers West passed away at the age of 97 on September 1, 2023, at The Arbors Assisted Living Residential Community in Amherst, MA. She is predeceased by her late husband of 35 years John T. Ivers of Wilton CT, second husband of 19 years Clifford W. West of Bridgeport CT, companion of 8 years Charles Thornhill of Milford CT, her sister Pauline Harkenreader of Wilkes Barre PA, and brother Neil Bennett of Waymart PA.
Born in 1926 to Byron and Evelyn Gillow Bennett, Jeanne grew up on her parents' farm in Waymart, PA where she developed an interest in art, drafting, and mechanical design. After graduating from Waymart High at age 16 during World War II, she moved to New York City and worked for Fairchild Camera and Instruments drafting designs for cameras that were installed in Army Air Corps bombers. Over the next four decades she worked for a variety of companies including Western Electric (NY), Nash Engineering (Norwalk, CT), drawing building plans for architect Lyndon Eaton (Wilton, CT), drafting equipment for the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (New York, NY), and drawing/designing schematic artwork for printed circuit boards for Wiltek, Inc., Intec, Inc., ITT, and Stamford Design.
She married John T. Ivers in 1947, started their family in Norwalk CT and moved to Wilton CT in 1960. Jeanne loved living in Wilton with its close-knit neighborhood spirit. She enjoyed the Wilton Playshop, trips to NYC for Broadway shows and Art Museum visits. After John’s passing in 1982, she married Clifford West of Bridgeport CT. Together they cultivated a love for travel and spending time at the family cottage in Tom’s River New Jersey. They made two cross county road trips and traveled the east coast from Key West to Quebec City. Always looking for adventures, they spent several weeks touring Australia, New Zealand, and the Fiji Islands. One of their most memorable trips was cruising from San Diego to Jamaica through the Panama Canal where Cliff had proudly served as a civil service employee during World War II. After Cliff’s passing in 2004, she met Charles Thornhill at the Wildermere Beach Congregational Church in Milford CT. He was a soft spoken and caring person who loved and took care of her during the early stages of her Alzheimer’s disease. Everyone who met Jeanne experienced a truly warm and caring person who was deeply devoted to her friends and family. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.
She is survived by her three children, Lynne Ivers Thompson (David) of Amherst MA, Thomas J. Ivers (Marcia) of Milford CT, and James Bennett Ivers of Milford CT. She is also survived by Clifford West’s daughter Leota West-Plonsky (John) of Huntington CT. She is survived by seven grandchildren Sage Scott (Eric) of Shutesbury MA, Spencer Thompson of San Jose CA, Carol Taylor (Charles) of Kent CT, Christine Pelzar (Steven) of Newburgh NY, John Plonsky of West Kingston RI, LeeAnn Plonsky Fawcett of Shelton CT, and Paul Plonsky (Beth) of Milford CT. Jeanne had fourteen great grandchildren Evan and Bennett Scott, Mya Colebrissi and Camryn Thompson, Justin, Evan and Jared Taylor, Jack Pelzar, Jayce and Jonah Plonsky, Mason and Lela Fawcett, Brooke and Sophia Plonsky, to whom she will be fondly remembered as Grammie Jeanne.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in honor of Jeanne Ivers West can be sent to Cooley Dickinson VNA & Hospice, P.O. Box 329, Northampton, MA 01061-0329. A celebration of Jeanne’s life is planned for Saturday, October 14th at 11am at the Wildermere Beach Congregational Church, 133 Broadway, in Milford CT.
Williamsburg Funeral Home was entrusted with the cremation.
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