Jeanette left this world at her home in Chicago Park, surrounded by the love of friends and family. She was a few months short of her 79th birthday.

Born and raised in Oakland, California, she was the middle child of three children. She lived briefly in southern California, Tennessee and Colfax before moving to Nevada County in 1979 with her son Garry.

A woman of many talents, Jeanette’s work roles included being a gardener for the City of Oakland (caring for the rose garden at Lake Merritt), dental assistant, office worker at Mountain Peoples Warehouse, Peaceful Valley Farm Supply, and Sierra Solar (where she also operated the fork lift as needed!). As well as being a self-reliant single mother to her son, she later worked as a care giver to kids and elders.

She had a life-long interest in wholesome food, herbs and homeopathy. She loved to cook in her solar oven! Jeanette’s dream to travel was fulfilled with a trip to southern Africa in 2003, where she visited a beloved friend (a mid-life Peace Corps volunteer) and connected with the people and culture of Lesotho. She cherished her Swiss-Italian family heritage and a trip to Europe in 2005 enabled her to meet her Swiss cousins.

These were both highlights of her life. Jeanette loved the outdoor natural world and had a passion for hiking in the Sierra foothills and along local rivers and creeks. In later years she could be found at Rollins Lake, walking the trails, enjoying the beautiful scenery and conversing with fellow hikers.

Her creative spirit led her to hand-sewn doll making, which evolved to include gnomes, angels, felted hearts and birds, and bears. She ultimately focused on bears, which she crafted with recycled wool and delighted in discovering each distinct personality as she stitched them into being. She sold these at local fairs and became a popular vendor with parents and children. Many of her adoring customers would commission a special bear for a loved one or friend. Children from all over the world have a favorite bear from “Nettie’s Cottage”.