Jeanette Wade

A loving family says goodbye to our mother, and grandmother, Jeanette Wade, who died on Saturday, August 23, 2014, in the Wade family home, in Missoula. Many words can be said, but few words can capture the true depth of our thanks, gratitude and love for this wonderful woman who gave and sacrificed all that she had to save, preserve and protect a family that will forever be in her debt.

Truly, Jeanette's life came in two parts, as she was born on Septemeber 12, 1930, in Tishomingo, Mississippi, and graduated from Deshler High School, in Tuscumbia, Alabama in 1949. Later she attended the St. Vincent School of Nursing, Birmingham, Alabama, completed her residency at Colbert County Hospital, Sheffield, Alabama, and worked for nearly 10 years as an ER trauma nurse, at St. Vincent's Hospital, in Birmingham, Alabama.

Even though the first part of Jeanette's life in Alabama was fulfilling and complete in and of itself, for us, the second part really began on June 16, 1962, when, at the age of 32, she married our father, Dr. William L. Wade. Our father was a widower and was raising 6 sons, and a daughter, Kathy, by himself, until he somehow managed to convince this very fun and beautiful woman to leave her home and career in Alabama, move to Missoula, and then cheerfully take on the task of becoming a mother to 7 children she had not known before. Even though we are still not sure exactly how she did it, we do know that she did it very well, and in the process, brought joy to our home, helped to keep our family together, and added to it wonderfully through the gift of our youngest brother, Paul.

Stopping runny noses, cooking every night for 10 people, nursing cuts and bruises, playing referee to wrestling matches between brothers, taking this kid to this practice, picking that kid up from that practice, explaining how it was impossible for monsters to be under the bed, driving thousands of miles to countless athletic events, and enduring a husband who was an Alabama football fan, while she was for the Auburn Tigers, she did it all, and always with the same smile on her face, and love in her heart that she later shared with all of her many grandchildren. She was a wife, a mother, a teacher, a nurse, a friend and a confidant, all wrapped up in a package we knew only as "Mother", and now that she is gone, we will forever miss her.

Jeanette is survived by her children, Kathy, Bill, James, Jon, Denis, Bob and Paul, the spouses of each, and by 17 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, William, and by her son, and our brother, Mike. We loved her. She showed and proved her love for us, and this remarkable woman will live forever in the many wonderful memories that she gave to each of us.

Rosary will take place Tuesday, 7 pm at Livingston-Malletta & Geraghty 224 W.Spruce. Funeral services will be held at St. Frances Catholic Church at 10:30 am Wednesday.

Read Jeanette Wade's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.