Jean Marie (Garner) Fullenkamp

Jean Marie (Garner) Fullenkamp  On Saturday, April 11, 2020, Jean Marie Fullenkamp, loving wife, mother of three children and grandmother of ten grandchildren passed away at the age of 70.  Jean was born on May 23, 1949 in Washington, DC to Robert and Mary Garner. She grew up in the DC area in a loving home with four sisters.  She attended Regina High School, from which she graduated in 1967. She continued on to the University of Dayton where she earned a degree in education (1971) and met her future husband, Dan Fullenkamp. On May 15, 1971, she married Dan, and for 49 years they lived a life blessed with love, happiness, joy and deep contentment. They raised three children: Joshua, Nicholas, and Melissa.  Jean had a passion for helping others which she always sought to do throughout her career in education. She spent the first part of her career as an elementary school classroom teacher, and eventually became a reading specialist for Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland. For the last 15 years of her career, Jean served as an Elementary Instructional Specialist for  Reading & Language Arts for MCPS. She left a lasting mark, teaching and inspiring countless students and teachers across the county.   Jean cherished her family and friends.  She understood that our relationships with the people we love are what really matter in life, and she lived every day of her life with that in mind. Jean deeply cared for her wide circle of friends, which included friends from high school, from St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, her children’s schools, her work, and from the local community and neighborhood. Jean and Dan’s immediate and large extended family were a source of profound pride for her. She loved and cherished her unique relationships with each of her children and their spouses, sisters, brother-in-laws, sister-in-laws, nieces and nephews.  Yet nothing brought her greater joy than spending time with her grandchildren. She constantly reminded them that they “made her heart sing.” Whether it was babysitting, attending a sporting event, sharing a special day with Nana or hosting a big sleepover with all of her grandchildren, Jean loved every moment she spent with them, and they adored their Nana.  Jean is survived by her husband Dan, their three children Joshua G. (Kate) Fullenkamp, Nicholas D. (Katie) Fullenkamp, and Melissa F. (Charles) Boyle; ten grandchildren Jocelyn, Sydney, Charles, Shannon, Eliza, Noah, Allison, Delaney, Brendan, and Maeve; four sisters Mary Fran Van Winter, Peggy (Bill) Chappell, Pat Garner, and Kay (Ted) Marconi.  She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, and in-laws. Jean was very loved and will be greatly missed.   A funeral and celebration of Jean’s life will be held at a later date.  Jean was a proud breast cancer survivor and received wonderful medical care from Johns Hopkins University and Medicine. In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made in Jean’s name to Johns Hopkins Hospital in the area of their greatest need https://secure.jhu.edu/form/fjhm.