Jeannine Wayman stays active, involved in her community
Jeannine Wayman sitting on her charming,welcoming porch. Photo credit: Joan Tucker
by Joan Tucker
Jeannine Wayman, whose smiling face is very recognizable in the Stockbridge community, is a quiet, steadfast and lovely 86-year-old woman. She believes in being active and involved. She walks her little dog Georgetta, a Miniature Goldendoodle, twice each day. Going to the Stockbridge Wellness Center was one of her weekly activities.
As a longtime member of the Stockbridge Area Garden Club, Jeanine demonstrates her talents with a beautifully planted yard, decorated to the hilt for any given season. Additionally, she volunteered for various duties at the Waterloo Farm Museum for many years.
She loves reading, golfing, painting, knitting and needlework.
One of Jeannine’s major priorities, though, is making time for coffee with friends —one of her favorite pastimes — which keeps her connected to the community.
In 1956, Jeannine moved to Stockbridge from her home in Romulus, Mich., where she was raised with three siblings. She taught elementary school in Stockbridge for 29 years. I first met Jeannine working for the Stockbridge Migrant Education Program, where she taught second- and third-graders. (This program was designed to supplement migrant education during the summer.) Jeannine impressed me with her ever-present smile and love of teaching. When asked what she liked about teaching, she mentioned witnessing student growth in reading and writing, as well as enjoying the personalities of young people.
As a single working mother, Jeannine says, “I had to learn to do everything myself, from checking the oil in the car to hanging pictures in my home.” She became very independent with the help of friends and family.
Jeannine raised two successful children who followed in her footsteps as Michigan State University alumni: Becky Pena (senior account executive for WILX) and David Basore (produce farmer in Florida). One of her most difficult times was when her children went away to college. She missed them horribly. Of course, this feeling was short-lived as both children married and gave her grandchildren: Joey and Jayme (Becky’s children) and Murphy, David and Daniel (David’s children).
Jeannine also finds joy and love in watching her great-grandchildren grow — Joey, 4, and Jack, 2. Her husband, Howard, had four children, which gave her an extended family. Jeannine enjoys a relationship with her great-granddaughter, Maddie, 16. Is it any surprise why this active woman still thrives at 86?
Jeannine married Howard Wayman 33 years ago and lived out at Joslyn Lake for eight years, and then moved back to Stockbridge in 1989. They enjoyed an active life of walking, hiking, golfing, boating and traveling. Their travels could involve a spontaneous road trip up North or a planned trip to Europe. Jeannine and Howard also enjoyed a few Caribbean cruises. Jeannine states the thing that meant the most to her and Howard was their time spent with family—whether a simple barbecue or attending a sporting event.
Jeannine’s love of traveling continues. She often flies to West Palm Beach, Florida, to see her son David and family. Recently, Jeannine visited Israel with her sister Janey’s family, traveling the entire country. This efficient little country offered diversity and multiple climates. In the northern part, it sleeted, but the south was warm, especially in Tel-Aviv. Coming from a farming community, Jeaninne admired Israel’s beautiful, efficient farms. This active woman also has hiked in Italy and Spain, enjoying the local culture and art. She takes every opportunity to travel, more recently taking an Italian cruise in 2019 with her immediate family before the coronavirus halted travel.
When asked how she is coping with COVID-19, Jeannine notes, “I’m not going to let it slow me down too much. I am going to stay active, follow safety guidelines, and enjoy my family and friends.”
