October 27, 1932 – February 1, 2021

Jean Marie Leidenfrost, 88, passed away on Monday, February 1,2021, after complications fromcancer. With the help of her brother, Richard, she was able to remain in her home in Crescent City, FL up until her final week when she was cared for by Hospice in St Augustine, FL. Originally from East Paterson, NJ,
Jean also lived in Ocean Grove NJ, and Ormond Beach FL before settling in Crescent City,FL

At the age of 24, Jean entered the world of travel as a stewardess for Eastern Air Lines. It was her destiny —At the tender age of 4, Jean held her Mother’s hand and announced while looking up at a plane flying over head“someday I will fly a plane, too”. She got her private pilot’s license and later spent 17 years with Eastern as a stewardess. Her flying career provided her with a lifetime of stories. Her travels took her to cities across the US and and other countries.

In “Fly With My Wings: Stewardess Memoirs of Jeanne Leidenfrost”, she wrote of the ups and downs of airline life in an era past. Her escapades and encounters with famous and not-so-famous peoplealong with her quick wit, feisty demeanor, and dedication to serving,provided her some of the most hilarious and heartfelt stories ever shared.

For her second career, Jean purchased an old summer resort hotel, Stokes Hall, in Ocean Grove, NJ. In addition to running the business, Jean used the hotel as a gathering place for her extended family. Several family members assisted with the daily operation of a full service dining room and three floors of rooms and suites. Never without a piano or organ, hotel guests were often treated to an impromptu concert. She was a master chef, painter, remodeler, and decorator who seemed to have endless energy and ability to survive on 4 hours sleep a day!

Selling her hotel in 1985 and moving to Florida, she stepped into her next job working with greyhound adoptions at Daytona Beach. A half dozen of the greyhounds won the lottery when they got to spend the rest of their lives at Jean’s side.

Jean’s true loves were: gardening, greyhounds, music and telling stories of her many encounters with people throughout her life. An avid reader and lifelong learner she became one of the first social media literate senior citizens and used it to share the family ancestor history and stories.

Jean was preceded in death by her sisters, Marie Betz and Ann Roberts and brothers Carl Leidenfrost and David Leidenfrost; her mother, Jean Griffin Leidenfrost and father, Charles Leidenfrost. She leaves behind a sister Terry McGill, two brothers, Robert Leidenfrost and Richard Leidenfrost, and 22 nieces and nephews.

The last line in Jean’s memoir is a quote from T.S. Eliot: “What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.” How fitting that the end of Jean’s earthly life was also the beginning of her eternal life with her Savior, Jesus Christ.

In lieu of a service, the family will have a small “Celebration of Life” online gathering to honor Jean.