Nettie Marie (Castonguay) Jehn, 79
LIMERICK - Nettie Marie (Castonguay) Jehn, 79, passed away Feb. 9, 2018, peacefully, surrounded by her loving family and her beloved cat, at Seal Rock Health Care in Saco.
Nettie was born in Woodland, Maine, on Dec. 28, 1938, the daughter of the late Leon and Amanda (Martin) Castonguay.
After graduating from Washburn High School, Nettie married Benjamin Jehn, a member of the United States Air Force. Together they had three daughters. Ben's military service relocated them to southern Maine.
In 1978, Nettie began her professional career at RSU 57 as food service director in Waterboro. She took great pride in her role as director of food services, and often remarked about what tremendous people she had the opportunity to work with. She continued her job for 30 years, retiring in 2008.
Nettie's passions in life included her work, walks, cross-country skiing, and family gatherings where she would love to cook for everyone. She also found great pleasure serving as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Saco and Parsonsfield.
She will be remembered by her family as a strong, independent, accomplished woman.
Nettie was predeceased by two brothers, Sylvio Castonguay and Walter Castonguay; one sister, Lottie Barker; and former husband, Benjamin Jehn. She is survived by her three daughters, Marsha Jehn of Escondido, Calif.; Mariam Jehn of Ocean Park; and Elizabeth (Carroll) Jehn and her husband, Sean, of Limerick. Nettie had four granddaughters, Lyndsay, Miranda, Meghan, and Jamila; five grandsons, Justin, Shawn, Lucas, Benjamin, and Emmett; and four great-grandsons, Jaiden, Aiden, Gavin, Bryson. She is also survived by her cat and faithful companion, Kialoni.
The family wishes to acknowledge and give special thanks to the incredible staff at Seal Rock Health Care, in Saco.
By her request, she will be cremated, and a service to celebrate her life will be held March 17, 2018, at 2 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Route 25, Parsonsfield.

- Hello, I am Marsha Jehn, My sister's Mariam and Elizabeth and I
would like to thank you today for joining us today celebrate and honor our
Mother, Nettie Marie Jehn. My Mother lived a long life and fulfilling life
spanning nearly 80 years. She was loved dearly by her family and friends and
contributed greatly to her community. We would like to share with you
moments of her life, some of her greatest accomplishments and cherished
memories

-On Dec.28,1938, way up in a northern corner of Maine in a little town
named Woodland ,just miles away from the Canadian border, there was a snow
storm . No surprise in this area of the country and there was a baby coming ;
definitely going to be a home birth. The doctor didn't arrive til way after my
Mother was born; in fact it was the next day that he signed her birth
certificate for Dec29! forever creating confusion, on which day she was
actually born! Thus were the practices in those days.

Nettie was the oldest child of Leon and Mandy Castonguay; she was of
French Canadian, Irish - Scottish descent with some Native American from a
great grand mother . French was her first language; she learned English in
school. Her family was a part of a generation that knew how to make a living
and livelihood from the land. She was proud of their accomplishments. Her
Father, known as Friday and her Uncle Saturday were successful Potato
Farmers, owning and cultivating hundreds of acres. Her Mother knew how to
grow, can, forage any berry, nut or dandelion green. They fished, hunted,
made their clothing, blankets, knitted socks, mittens and scarves. I believe it
was during the harvest time that my mother discovered she had a talent for
feeding others. She shared with me that she was 8 years old when she began
to make lunches for everyone who were in the fields. The roots of her
upbringing taught her resiliency , gave her strength and a hard work ethic.

She graduated from Washburn High School in 1956 and began to work and
educate herself. She worked 3 years at Great Northern Bank in Presque
Isle.The skills she learned there proved valuable over many years of her life
for when she needed part time work. She took classes at the University of
Maine. Now in those days Limestone had an Air Force Base which I imagine
brought a lot of eligible young men to the area. In 1959, she and Benjamin Jehn
married and started their family. Three beautiful daughters, many years in the
military and a move to balmy New Hampshire transpired, eventually they
settled in Southern Maine.

Family was always important to my Mother, just like her mother had taught
her, she was an amazing home maker, when we were young ,she carried over
traditions of having a garden, making cloths and curtains til modernization
made these things cheaper to buy . Did I happen to say what an amazing cook
she was! Her bran muffins, coffee cakes, speciality breads like onion lovers
twist, squash soup and haddock casserole and her banana chocolate ripple
cake will be dearly missed! Her holiday chex mix!!! She had a gift and knew
how to follow a recipe or create one!! While we lived In York, Maine she joined
the Seaside Community choir, she loved to sing . She would pull out the
American Song Book and we would sing song after song. I remember
begrudgingly going to performances of Handel's Messiah til I actually grew to
appreciate its beauty.

When we look back in time, we can see how all the job experiences, education
and life's teachings weave together often to prepare us for a great work. This
opportunity came to Nettie after her marriage to Ben dissolved . By this time
she had been an owner of a small grocery store, worked with meals on wheels
and even had her real estate license. Necessity and opportunity mixed
together for her to venture to apply for a position as a Nutrition Director for
a consolidated school district currently known as RSU 57; serving several
towns, feeding children from kindergarten to high school. She was rewarded
and landed that position, here was the great work she had been preparing for.
In her own words, she described her described her job as interesting,
challenging and offering opportunities for growth. In my words I call it huge,
amazing and right up her alley. It combined her knowledge of money and
budgets, organization and expertise with food. She grew into holding
leadership titles in many State and National organizations and taught
continuing classes for Sanford Adult Education. My favorite memory was
how she gave the school lunch menu a complete makeover and took the
horrible Bubbling Squeak off the menu ! What was that stuff?? I remember
thinking how lucky my younger sister Elizabeth was to have my mother at
school every day and then on the other hand how unlucky she was because
she could never skip school and get away with it?? In 2007, Nettie retired
from the school district, having completed 28 years of amazing service! She
had been responsible for the kitchens and workers for several schools,
balanced budgets, created menus and feed thousands of children.

I often think of my Mother's life like a beautiful Garden, it takes time
cultivating the soil, bringing nutrients , planting seeds, weeding ,watching them
grow and bloom. going through the seasons , the storms , the rainbows and
the sunlight. In her early 50's, Nettie found the Spiritual Family she had
always been looking for. I saw her happiness and unconditional love grow
when She became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints. She told me she had always been looking for a true church that lived
and taught the Spiritual principles she felt in her heart. Her deepest sadness
had been the early losses of her brothers and parents, more recently the loss
of her little sister Lottie, broke her heart. When she joined the Church , I saw
her embrace being part of a larger family with whom she always knew would be
there and was solid and true to its word where ever she went. Over the years
she was able to teach seminary to her Grandson Justin, help him to serve on a
mission and she served in the High Council. She took her endowments at the
Temple in La Jolla ca. When her granddaughter , Jamila who lived in California
chose to be baptized in Cape Elizabeth so that many extended family
members could attend, my mother beamed with happiness . She was so excited
that her family could experience the church she cherished. Today we
are grateful to honor her with her Spiritual Family grateful for the blessing the
church has bestowed upon her and us.

Mother's teach us to love, to see beauty and to take our place in the world.
Mother's know us better sometimes than we know ourselves. a mother's voice
and wisdom can lead us tenderly or be like a loud fog horn blaring warnings
about our choices. Her guidance to not crash on the rocks of life is so
valuable to her children; she is the first teacher and often the most important.
Her love heals and nurtures. This is who she was to our family.

I would Like to invite my nephews Justin and Emmett to share

Nettie Castonguay
in the 1940 United States Federal Census

Name: Nettie Castonguay
Age: 1
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1939
Gender: Female
Race: White
Birthplace: Maine
Marital Status: Single
Relation to Head of House: Daughter
Home in 1940: Woodland, Aroostook, Maine
Map of Home in 1940: Woodland, Aroostook, Maine
Street: Woodland Center Road
Sheet Number: 3B
Attended School or College: No
Highest Grade Completed: None
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members Age Relationship
Leon A Castonguay
29 Head
Marie L Castonguay
29 Wife
Lylon Castonguay
2 Son
Nettie Castonguay 1 Daughter

Nettie M Castonguay
in the Maine, U.S., Marriage Index, 1892-1996

Name: Nettie M Castonguay
Gender: Female
Spouse's Name: Benjamin F Jehn
Spouse's Gender: Male
Marriage Date: 1 Nov 1959
Marriage Place: Maine, USA
Certificate: 7017

Nettie M Jehn
in the U.S., Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Volume 1

Name: Nettie M Jehn
[Nettie Jehn]
Birth Date: 28 Dec 1938
Residence Date: 1993
Phone Number: 247-3221
Address: 97 Mast Rd
Residence: Lyman, ME
Postal Code: 04002-7168
Second Residence Date: 1989
Second Phone Number: 247-3221
Second Address: 59 Mast Rd
Second Residence: Lyman, ME
Second Postal Code: 04002-7168
Third Phone Number: 247-3221
Third Address: RR 3
Third Residence: Biddeford, ME
Third Postal Code: 04005

Nettie M Jehn
in the U.S., Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Volume 2

Name: Nettie M Jehn
Birth Date: 28 Dec 1938
Address: 18 Mast Rd
Residence Place: Lyman, Maine, USA
Zip Code: 04002

Nettie Marie Jehn
in the U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current

Name: Nettie Marie Jehn
Maiden Name: Castonguay
Gender: Female
Death Age: 79
Birth Date: 28 Dec 1938
Birth Place: Woodland, ME
Residence Place: Limerick
Death Date: 9 Feb 2018
Death Place: Saco ME
Father:
Leon Castonguay
Mother:
Amanda Castonguay
Spouse:
Benjamin Jehn
Child:
Marsha Jehn
Mariam Jehn
Elizabeth Jehn
Siblings:
Sylvio Castonguay
Walter Castonguay
Lottie Barker