Jeanne Barbara Leonard Wold

Jeanne Barbara Leonard Wold 1932 – 2020 BATH – Jeanne Leonard Wold was born cheerful; her mother called her Pollyanna – after the plucky heroine in the children’s books. Pollyanna was determined to stay happy and positive no matter what life threw at her – just like Jeanne. Jeanne was born in Bath, Maine on April 13, 1932 – a Friday. She always said that Friday 13th was a lucky day if you were born on one. Luck may have played a part in her life, but most of her good fortune came from her quick intellect and fantastic sense of humor. Her husband, her family, her friends – they were all the lucky ones. Lucky to bask in her smile and fortunate to hear her infectious laugh. She met the love of her life Just Wold in dancing school in Bath when they were 11; they finally married in 1953 after he returned from the Korean War. That same year they bought the house where they raised three children, on the River Road in Woolwich, Maine. She was stoic about living so far from “town” and threw parties to make up for it. There were polka parties … with them dancing around the room to “Roll out the Barrel” with their many friends. There were games nights and card tournaments, cocktail parties and snowmobile outings with wineskins full of blackberry brandy. She was a terrific seamstress and could whip up stylish outfits for her girls or a roomful of curtains in hours. Her favorite hobby was picking blueberries, she spent hours kneeling in the fields to get quarts of berries for muffins and pancakes. Baking was one of her passions and her homemade bread was famous around the neighborhood. When Just found and bought the family an island cottage on Lake Pemaquid, Jeanne blossomed. She had friends on the lake for when she felt like socializing, and an island to herself all day when Just was at work and the kids working at Lake Pemaquid Campground. After making breakfast and sweeping out the cottage, she would take a towel, a pillow, and a book to the dock where she could lie in the sun and swim to her heart’s content. She was ready for company again by about 5pm. She would flit between the kitchen and the back porch to wait for the bright orange flag signalling Just’s arrival at the mainland cottage – then hop in “her” boat with the five and a half HP Evinrude to fetch him home. When Jeanne was a real estate agent, she discovered Clarks Cove Farm in Walpole was on the market. They bought it as a fun retirement project which involved resurrecting a 100-plus-year-old apple orchard and running a B&B. Jeanne loved the farm, and they ran it for 15 years before retiring to Florida, then Tennessee and then finally Arizona to be near their younger daughter Melissa. Melanie had moved back to London by then and Aric – who had touched down in every state from Alaska to Colorado and more – had sadly died in 2013. The family continued to meet whenever possible – summers in Maine, Thanksgiving/Christmas in Scottsdale or Florida. Then, the worst thing that could happen to a positive, cheerful force of nature like Jeanne hit – Alzheimer’s disease. It took so much of her personality away. Today, the family remembers the good times and hopes that somewhere she is dancing the polka with her “handsome hubby” Just. Jeanne is survived by her beloved husband, Just, her brother, John David Leonard and his wife Kaye Pierson; her children Melanie Wold Martin and husband Shamus Martin of London, Melissa Wold Salandro and Jerry Salandro of Scottsdale, Ariz.; her grandchildren, Zachary Wold Havas and Nicolas Barrett Havas of Harpswell, Maine, Bri Wold of Fort Collins, Colo., Mitch Codd and Erin Supinka of Lebanon, N.H., Grady Codd of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Kylee Wold; and her wonderful nieces and nephews who loved spending time with their “Aunt Jeanne.” She was predeceased by her beautiful sister, Dawna Works Layman and her much-loved son, Just Aric Wold. Her bright spirit and infectious laugh will live with them forever.