Obituary of Jeanne M. Ekholm

Jeanne Marie Hartz Ekholm, 80, of Cortland, NY, entered eternal rest on December 3rd, 2022, at the Groton Community Healthcare Center. She was born to the late Robert and Hilda Hartz on February 17th, 1942, in Deposit, NY. Jeanne grew up in Hancock, NY, where she graduated from Hancock High School in 1959. In August of 1967 she married Joel Ekholm, with whom she had two daughters, Jennifer and Julie. In 1977, they moved to Cortland, NY, which they called home. In addition to being a dedicated wife and mother, Jeanne was an in-home childcare provider for over 20 years and was lovingly called "Aunt Jeanne" by almost fifty children during her career. In her spare time, Jeanne enjoyed beating everyone at Scrabble, watching the Yankees, making the best fudge, and crocheting thousands of handmade Christmas ornaments, which she shared with family and friends across the country. She was a woman of strong faith, spending many years volunteering in her church community with Pioneer Girls, the prayer shawl ministry, MOPS, and other ministry areas. She was most recently a member of Grace Christian Fellowship and supported a variety of organizations and causes. Jeanne was predeceased by her parents, and her husband of 45 years, along with her brother, Robert Hartz, Jr., and brothers-in-law, Knighton W. Peters, and Lawrence Sinclair. She is survived by her daughters, Julie Camp and Jennifer (Mark) Pyne; and her sister, Miriam Peters. Also surviving are grandchildren Emily (Bryan) Gonzalez; Libby (Yusuke) Oshimizu; Zachary, Madison, and Garrett Pyne; great-granddaughters, Julianna Grace and Luna Sarah Gonzalez; and great-grandson, Hiro David Oshimizu. She also leaves behind sisters-in-law, Kathy Sinclair, Martha (Victor) Newhart, and Alice Hartz, along with several nieces and nephews. Calling hours will be held on December 22nd, 2022, from 4-6 pm, at the Wright-Beard Funeral Home Inc., with a funeral service to follow at 6 pm. Jeanne will be laid to rest at Riverview Cemetery in Hancock, NY in the spring. Contributions in her memory may be made to Grace Christian Fellowship, 1250 Fisher Avenue, Cortland, NY 13045 or to the Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation, P.O. Box 782, Farmingdale, NJ 07727.