BRUNSWICK — Jeannette Steele Cross died on April 5, 2016, at the Mere Point Nursing Home in Brunswick. Born Julia Jeannette Steele on August 3, 1925, in Biddeford, she was the youngest child of Philip E. and Mary F. (Day) Steele, and grew up on a farm in North Kennebunk (now Arundel). She attended a one-room primary school, and graduated from Kennebunk High School in 1943 and from the University of New Hampshire in 1947. She taught home economics at Hinsdale High School in 1947-48. On a trip home to Maine for the Christmas holiday on a Boston and Maine train in December of 1947, Jeannette met Robert Cross, her future husband and the love of her life. They were married in the summer of 1948, and shared 64 years of marriage.

Jeannette taught home economics at Scarborough High School for a year before moving to Brunswick, where she and Rob raised their family. She was a home economics teacher at Brunswick High School in the 1961-62 school year. In 1967 she worked with senior citizens in the Brunswick area to form a club, the Evergreens, and served as a volunteer director for the first year. After the Brunswick Recreation Department assumed responsibility for the Evergreens, she served as its program director for nine more years.

Jeannette was a long-time member of First Parish Church in Brunswick. She served on the Town’s Davis Fund Committee for many years, and for twenty-five years she was a track official at Bowdoin College. It was a familiar sight to see Jeannette and Robert walking hand-in-hand on the streets of Brunswick in their bright yellow track official jackets.

Jeannette was an accomplished watercolor artist, and was especially known for her paintings of Maine birds. She shared her knowledge about gardening, cooking, making hooked and braided rugs, and repairing antique china with friends and family. She supplemented her genealogical research by transcribing the family stories that had been passed down to her by previous generations, creating for all who read them an understanding of the past in terms of interpersonal connections. Her passion for recycling inspired Anne Woodbury to write The Box Lady, a children’s book about Jeannette’s creative strategies for finding new uses for items that might otherwise go into the waste stream.

She was predeceased by her husband, who died in 2012; two brothers, John Steele of Richmond, MA, and James Steele of Kennebunkport; a sister, Carolyn Mitchell of West Lebanon, NH; her grandson, Ethan Barton; and her daughter-in-law, Leslie Shaw. She is survived by her children, Peter Cross (Candace) of Orange, MA; Suzanne Barton (Robert) of Westbrook; and John Cross of Brunswick; five grandchildren, Emily Cross of Heath, MA, Eben Cross (Meridith Greene) of Melrose, MA, Anna Barton of Westbrook, Lauren Cross (Patrick McGuire) of Hartford, CT, and Audrey Cross of Orono; and two greatgrandchildren, Josephine Cross and Aurelia Greene Cross

The family would like to thank the staff of the Mid- Coast Senior Health Center for their loving care of Jeannette. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that gifts may be made in Jeannette’s memory to the Cross Family Scholarship Fund, 4100 College Station, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME 04011-8432 or to the charity of your choice.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, April 13 at 2 P.M. at First Parish Church in Brunswick, with a reception to follow. Memories and condolences can be shared at www.brackettfuneralhome.com.