Obituary of Imogene Hall Canfield

Jean Canfield, 85, of 731 Chikasaw Rd., Lynchburg and Heritage Green DayBreak Memory Care, 200 Lillian Lane, Lynchburg died Monday , September 9, 2013, after a long illness. She was the wife of Martin G. Canfield Jr. for 60 years. Jean's life and interests were varied, involving her extended Family, Church, Nursing, and Crafts/Needlework. Her faith and religious involvement have been important to her since accepting Jesus Christ as her personal savior, while a 19 year old student nurse. In addition to her husband, she is survived by four sons, Jerry (Debbie) of Mountain Home, AR; David (Sharon) of Lynchburg; Martin III of Greensboro, NC; and Bill (Karen) of Lynchburg; her sister , Nancy Wyman of Wheaton, IL.; her sister-in-law, M Patricia Hilton of Mesa, AZ; seventeen grand children and great-grand children; as well as other relatives. Jean was preceded in death in 2002 by her son, Jimmy. Jean was born in Pittsburgh, PA, and also lived with her parents, the late Bill and Ethel Crawford Hall in Washington, DC, Syracuse, NY, Evanston and Elmhurst, IL. and Cincinnati, OH. She graduated from York Community High School in Elmhurst, and completed Nurses Training at West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park, IL., in 1949, passing state boards to become a Registered Nurse (RN); then worked as a Staff Nurse at Christ Hospital in Cincinnati. In 1952 Jean graduated from Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL with a BS degree in Nursing and took a position as a Public Health and School Nurse for the City of Milwaukee; and also took graduate Nursing classes at Marquette University. In 1952 Jean met Martin while attending the same church in Milwaukee; they were married in 1953 and moved to Madison, WI in 1954, where she became a Staff Nurse for the Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital, transferring in 1955 to the VA Hospital in Louisville, KY, where Martin began his GE career. In 1962, the family, which by then also included four boys, moved to Lynchburg. In mid-1960's, Jean became a Staff Nurse at Lynchburg General Hospital, then moved to Nursing Education as an evening Clinical Instructor for LG-ML School of Professional Nursing, teaching and providing direct supervision of students in the clinical areas of the hospital; later she was also responsible for the health care of all LG-ML student nurses. In the 1990's, Jean returned to nursing as a volunteer registered nurse in the Loving Care Volunteer Nurse Program at Lynchburg General Hospital. About 1980, Jean began working more in the area of Crafts and Needlework Arts, starting her own business, CRAFT-MART, with a store in Hills Plaza, Wards Rd., in 1982, for craft and needlework supplies and teaching classes. In 1986, she opened a second CRAFT-MART store in Forest Plaza West on Old Forest Rd., until June 1992. In 1963, Jean and Martin with four other families, helped begin a mission church which two years later became Calvary Baptist Church (Timberlake Rd) of which they were charter members. Since 1968, Jean and her family have been members of West Lynchburg Baptist Church. Jean has been an active or associate member of the J.O.Y. Ladies Sunday School Class for many years, being president of the class for over five years. From 1992 to 2006, she was actively involved in the children's ministry at West Lynchburg, as Director of the Fourth Grade Sunday School Dept., and then as Director of the combined Third and Fourth Grade Departments. She has also been a member of the Suzanne Barden Circle of the Women's Missionary Union. Jean worked as a volunteer at both Sandusky Elementary and Sandusky Middle Schools and was a camera person for the cable TV program, "Life After 50". The family will receive friends from 6:30 to 9.00 p.m., Friday, September 13 at Diuguid Timberlake Chapel, and other times at the residence, 731 Chikasaw Road. A funeral service will be held at West Lynchburg Baptist Church , 3031 Memorial Ave at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, September 14, with the Rev. Dr. Robert Putt and the Rev. James D. Newman, participating; with a reception following in the church Fellowship Hall. Interment will be at Fort Hill Memorial Park. For those who wish to make a memorial contribution, the family suggests West Lynchburg Baptist Church, The ARC of Central VA, 1508 Bedford Ave, Lynchburg 24504, or Central & Western VA Alzheimers Ass'n., 1160 Pepsi Place, Suite 306, Charlottesville, VA 22901. Our family extends sincere appreciation and thanks to many care givers, including the staff of Generation Solutions and particularly to Laura Ballowe for faithfully providing Home Health Nursing Care for more than four years; to the staffs of Heritage Green Assisted Living and Heritage Green DayBreak Memory Care; and to all the dedicated caregivers of Seven Hills Hospice. Diuguid Funeral Service, Timberlake Road Chapel , 237-2722 is serving the family.