Jean Webb Kearney, 93, died peacefully at home in Huntsville, AL after bravely enduring the blindness caused by her glaucoma for the past 4 ½ years. Jean was born in Jasper, FL to Delaware Theodore and Thelma Gertrude Webb. She was the third of nine children and the growing family moved around north Florida until settling in Waldo, FL by the early 1940’s. She graduated from Waldo High School and then lived in Gainesville, FL where she worked for a doctor’s office and an insurance office. She excelled at these administrative-managerial jobs.
In 1955, she met Bob Kearney and they were married a few days after he graduated from the University of Florida in 1956 (they were both lifelong Gator fans). In 1970 they moved from Florida to Huntsville, AL. Their years together were full of kids and then grandkids, friends, community volunteering, church, family trips, and being good neighbors. They were married 62+ years when Bob passed away in 2019.
Jean played high school basketball, joking that at one point she and two sisters were half the team (it was the days of six player women’s half-court basketball). Throughout her life, she was a vigorous walker which she did until her early 80s. She was also a diehard Braves fan – the family used to tease that instead of stereotypical soap operas, she watched Braves baseball.
She was a dedicated volunteer – Grey Ladies at her kids’ school, Little League, Meals on Wheels, Holy Spirit Church. And she was always helping neighbors.
Mostly, she was devoted to her family who appreciated her comforting love and hugs, her model of wanting to do the right thing, her practical problem-solving, her great cooking skills, and her ability to be silly.
She sadly suffered much the last few years, but, as she would often say, she had so many blessings in her life and she appreciated them all. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend and was much loved by her family and friends.
We will miss her so much, but we know that she now has the peace that passeth all understanding that she so desired.
She was predeceased by her husband, Robert John Kearney; her parents; three brothers, Dell Webb, Jr., Henry Webb, and Thomas Webb; and two sisters, Ruby Bristowe and Dot Tomlinson. She is survived by her daughter, Debbie Kearney (Dale Williams) of Tybee Island, GA, daughter, Kathy Boyd (Joseph) of Huntsville, AL, and son, Robert W. Kearney (Didi) of Huntsville, AL; grandsons, Erik Reimers (Rachel) and Ryan Reimers (Rachel); granddaughters, Emily Kearney-Williams (Wade Banta) and Leslie Crow (Josh Olive); sisters, Joyce Page (Jim), Net Kelley, and Catherine Renner (Howard); and many nieces and nephews.
A private funeral service will be held.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Meals on Wheels through Huntsville-Madison County Senior Center (www.seniorview.com), or the Glaucoma Research Foundation (www.glaucoma.org) or Programa Velasco (www.programavelasco.org).
