Obituary of Jean Elizabeth Hennan - Bridgewater, New Waterford

Jean Elizabeth (Gregor) Hennan (December 6, 1955) passed away suddenly and peacefully, with family by her side, in Halifax on June 28, 2021. 

The daughter of the late Harry and Hazel (Knox) Gregor, Jean grew up in New Waterford and spent many happy summers at the family bungalow in Marion Bridge. After completing her Bachelor of Commerce at Dalhousie University, she embarked on a career in banking in Calgary, before moving to Ontario to start her family. Jean was a constant presence in the community and at her children’s schools, where she volunteered frequently and eventually became a teacher’s aid. During that time, fond memories were made with close family friends the Rosses, the Groensteins and so many others. 

Jean and her family returned to Nova Scotia where she became a much-loved part of the community in Bridgewater, in the rinks and at the ball fields, raising her four children with love and selfless dedication. Jean’s kindness, warmth, generosity and sense of humour attracted people and she made friends wherever she went. Jean was so fortunate to be one of a group of lifelong friends: Ruth Ann Morrison, Bonnie Salsman, Nancy Lewis, and Kathy Morrison, who grew up together and remained close throughout their university days in Halifax and the rest of her life. Jean could be depended on to remember every birthday and send a card without fail, make you laugh when you called and decorate for every holiday. She lived life joyfully with grace and style. 

She is missed by her daughters Kathryn and Colleen, sons Andrew and James (Abril Rodriguez), their father Wendell, and granddaughter Miriam O’Donnell. Also grieving are brother George Gregor of Vancouver, sister-in-law Ellen Gregor (John) in Ottawa, aunts Shirley Harvey (Andrew) of New Waterford and Joyce Cellucci (Jerry) in Boston, and the cousin she loved like a sister, Ruth Ann Morrison (Donnie) of Sydney. She is survived by other relatives Vonnie Ellis (Danny), Gail Copp (Jim), Dana Digout (Leonard), Ken MacAulay and many loving cousins, nieces and nephews. She is pre-deceased by her parents, Harry and Hazel Gregor, step-mother Margaret (Howatson) Gregor, brothers and sisters-in-law Harvey and Bernice Gregor, John Gregor, and Ann Gregor, and other relatives, Jean (Smith) Spracklin, and Norman MacAulay. 

Her children are heartbroken that they didn’t have more time with their beautiful mother, but feel so lucky to have been hers. Everything she did was for them. We hope she knew how loved she was and how we will miss her laugh, her sayings and wisdom. We treasure our relationship with each other and will continue to love and take care of one another, the way she loved and took care of us. In Jean’s memory, donations will be gratefully accepted at the Second Story Women’s Centre in Lunenburg, an organization that embodies the values that guided Jean’s life.

A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, August 2, 2022 at 11 a.m. in Calvin United Church with Rev. Duncan Roach officiating. A reception will follow in the Rev. Duncan Roach Fellowship Room. Burial will be in Union Grove Cemetery, Scotchtown. Online expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at: www.vjmcgillivray.ca.