Jean B. Laudenslager

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Jean B. Laudenslager, 85, of 216 Hall Ave., died at 8:40 a.m., Sunday, July 6, 2008, in the Lutheran Home and Rehabilitation Center.

Born in Steuben County, N.Y. and the daughter of Helen and Joseph Bedner, Jean graduated (valedictorian) from Savona High School. Sadly foregoing a scholarship to Cornell, she moved to Corning and joined Ingersoll-Rand in its personnel department. It was in Corning that she met Harry Laudenslager, who had recently finished graduate school and had been hired as a chemist by Corning Glass. They married in 1946. When Harry was of-fered a position at Blackstone Corporation in 1948, they moved to Jamestown, which was Harry's hometown, and has been Jean's home ever since.

While she was unable to accept the home economics scholarship, Jean applied those recognized talents as a fine cook, but most importantly as a fine seamstress. While raising her children, sewing was a hobby, and, after becoming a widow, she turned her hobby into a viable livelihood, working in the decorating department of Bigelow's Department Store for 10 years until the store closed. Draperies, bedspreads, pillows, needlepoint finishing, and all kinds of decorative stitching became Jean's way of communicating with her friends in Jamestown. In her spare time, she furnished draperies and bedroom decor for many of her friends and family remotely, managing to figure it all out either over the phone or via photos. After Bigelow's closed, her clients sought her out. Sewing became her artistic vehicle for communicating with everyone, and the talent for which she will be most remembered.

Jean Laudenslager was a member of The First Baptist Church and its Circle Two. For some time she taught pre-school Sunday School. She was a past member of the YWCA and the Diana Lodge of the Vikings. In the last years, when she was more physically compromised, she became an avid news junkie, and getting into a political discussion with her could be riveting. She never lost a beat. She also became quite an avid reader, enjoying biographies of people she adored and always searching for un-tarnished romances.

Jean Laudenslager is survived by a daughter, Janet, of Monterey, Mass. and New York; three brothers: Edward of Bath, N.Y., Emil, of Cold Spring, Tx., and Theodore, in Kane, Pa.; as well as many nieces and nephews, and grandnieces, to whom she was very attached.

She was predeceased by her husband, Harry Laudenslager Jr., who died in 1977; a son, Mark, who died in 1981; and a brother, John, who died in 1972.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Tuesday in the Lind Funeral Home, where friends will be received for one hour prior to the service.

Inurnment will be in Lake View Cemetery.

Memorials for Jean might be made for the benefit of the Harry & Jean Laudenslager Scholarship Fund c/o the Community Foundation, or The James Prendergast Library.