Jeanne Louise Bell's Obituary
Life Legacy
Jeanne was born on November 7, 1955, in Tarrytown, New York, to James and Gertrude Bell. She was the oldest of three children, with two brothers, Jim, deceased, and Allen. Jeanne grew up in Greenburg, New York. She always loved nature and animals. In her early teenage years, she worked at a nature center rehabilitating wildlife. In her later teens, she lived over a veterinarian's office and worked as a vet tech. Jeanne attended Mercy College majoring in Biology. She was entrepreneurial from the very beginning. At the age of 24, she opened Hartsdale Dog Grooming in Hartsdale New York.tn 1986, on her first vacation after opening her new business, she met her husband, Doug, in St. Lucia, West Indies, sailing and riding horses on the beach. A year later, they were married on a sailboat in Leinster Bay, St. John's U.S. Virgin Islands.The couple moved to suburban Chicago, and while living in Mt. Prospect, IL, Jeanne started another dog grooming business, and followed her other love. Jeanne was a classically trained oboe player, and played in numerous semiprofessional and professional pit orchestras. She also played in a woodwind Quintet for over 8 years. Doug and Jeanne moved to a whimsical home in Winthrop Harbor, IL, where they lived for 12 years. Jeanne started a successful real estate appraisal company while living in the Harbor. When she wasn't tending to her appraisal business, laundromat, and rental properties, or playing music, she was sailing on her 35' sailboat on Lake Michigan.While on vacation in Florida in 2001, she was talked into taking a boat tour at Blue Springs State Park. After the tour she said, "This is what I want to do for the rest of my life." She fulfilled her dream.Jeannie learned the craft from Ron Woxburg at St. Johns River Cruises. She started St. Johns River Eco Tours in 2009, having her custom-designed boat built, and operating the Naiad out of Highbanks Marina in DeBary, Florida, for more than six years. During that time, Jeanne touched the lives of thousands of people, sharing her abundant knowledge of wildlife and birds, and teaching everyone who boarded her boat about the river and habitat she loved so much. A day did not pass without her learning more about the plants, animals, and rhythm of the river. She had a passion and a respect for one of nature's great treasures, and an overwhelming love of life, and all creatures, no matter how small or insignificant.There will be a Celebration of Life Service to honor her at Baldauff Family Funeral Home 1233 Saxon Blvd. Orange City, FL 32763 on Friday October 14th at 11:00 AM.
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