Blakeney, Jeanne Schmidlein (Donovan) of Needham died peacefully on May 10, 2020 with family close by. Born in Brookline in 1925 to Mary and John Donovan. She was the beloved wife of the late Robert A. Schmidlein until his death in 1994. In 2000, she married Robert Blakeney and enjoyed 10 years as his wife.
Jeanne was a graduate of St. Mary’s Brookline and Katharine Gibbs Boston. She was an executive secretary until her marriage to Robert Schmidlein in 1948. They raised their seven children in Waban where she was an active member of St. Philip Neri parish and the Waban Neighborhood Club until moving to Needham in 1982. There, she joined St. Bartholomew parish where she remained a member until her death. She spent her professional career at CCS, Newton retiring as the Vice President of Finance in 1994. During her retirement, Jeanne volunteered for many years at Needham Senior Center where amongst other things, she led the “Songsters”, a group of seniors who performed at local nursing facilities. Jeanne loved music and singing and was a dedicated member of her parish choirs. Jeanne loved to host friends and family for celebrations that included plenty of food, laughter and music. Throughout her life, Jeanne embraced her Irish heritage. We will miss the twinkle in her eye when she conjured up an old Irish phase in her most authentic brogue.
She leaves her seven children. Robin Schmidlein and James Costello of Jamaica Plain, John Schmidlein and Connie Bruce of Concord, Susan Brill of Newton, Richard and Suzanne Schmidlein of Norfolk, Kenneth and Colleen Schmidlein of Marlborough, Kevin and Allison Schmidlein of Mont Vernon, New Hampshire, and James and Marion Schmidlein of Waltham. She also leaves 16 grandchildren – Molly and Rose Costello, Benjamin, Samuel, and Dana Brill, Stephanie Caress, Nathan, Joe and Evan Schmidlein, Kurt and Mary Schmidlein, and James, Nolan, Laura, William, and Caralyn Schmidlein- and 6 great grandchildren.
Private service and burial will take place at Holyhood Cemetery with a Memorial Mass at a later date. Expressions of sympathy may be made in Jeanne’s memory to Saint Bartholomew Parish, Needham or The Lurie Center for Autism, MGH, Lexington.