Jeanne Otilie (Packhiser) Walton, age 89, has joined her husband, Fred in Heaven. She passed peacefully on August 11, 2022 at Vassar Hospital, in Poughkeepsie, after several years of poor health.
Jeanne was born in Hollywood, CA on February 9, 1933 to Lydia (Kroll) and Erwin Packhiser. The Packhisers drove from Midletown, NY to Hollywood to break into motion pictures. Although Erwin’s stage connections provided access to the homes and studios of leading Hollywood figures, he decided to return to Middletown in 1933 to run his business, Packhiser’s Cleaners and Dyers, and raise a family.
Jeanne grew up in Middletown, splitting her leisure time between her grandparents’ homes. Her maternal grandparents owned a large farm in Chester, where she loved playing in the barns with her cousins and riding horses. Her paternal grandmother owned a home on Yankee Lake in Sullivan County, where she enjoyed boating, swimming and fishing.
Jeanne graduated from Middletown High School in 1951, where she was popular with her classmates and active in chorus, choir, national thespians, and dance. She was an accomplished ballerina. She attended Orange County Community College, where she served as a cheerleader and majorette. She graduated from the Mandl School for Medical Assistants in New York City in 1954, earning a degree as a Registered Clinical Secretary. Returning to Middletown, she worked for several doctors.
Jeanne married Frederick S. Walton on June 1, 1957 in Middletown. After their honeymoon to the Poconos they resided in Tarrytown. They raised 5 children, living in Mahopac, NY and later returning to Middletown. Jeanne left the medical profession to become a homemaker. She shared her love of farming with her children raising chickens, ducks, rabbits, sheep and vegetables on a large suburban mini farm.
Active as a 4H leader she went on to work for Orange County Cooperative Extension helping to organize new 4H clubs.
In 1981 Jeanne opened a craft store in Walden called Walton’s Wee World selling craft supplies, crafts and gifts. A lifelong Lutheran, Jeanne was active in her church wherever she lived, but has been a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Walden for nearly half a century, moving to Walden in 1985 to be closer to her church family. She spent many holidays in the Trinity Lutheran Church kitchen preparing meals for the less fortunate while inspiring her children to become caring volunteers.
As her children married and started families of their own, she took great delight in traveling around the country on extended visits. She loved to go shopping with her children and grandchildren when visiting.
Jeanne was preceded in death by her parents, Lydia and Erwin Packhiser, and her husband of 63 years, Frederdick S. Walton. She is survived by her sister Diane(Dee) of Houston, Texas; her children Mr. Frederick (Ruthann) Walton of Ocean Isle Beach NC; Mrs. Desiree Lonsway (Phil) of Houston, TX; Rev. Dr. Gregory Walton (Edith) of Orlando,FL; Mrs. Melissa Ochs (Michael) of Wallkill, and Mrs. Stacey Concors (Bruce) of Walden. She was also a proud grandmother of five grandchildren, Alex, Tim, Parker, Erika, And Chloe and 5 great grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held Tuesday November 22, at 11 a.m.at the Trinity Lutheran Church 2520 Route 208 Walden Cremation took place at Cedar Hill Crematory in Newburgh,.