Jeanne D. Jolly

Jeanne Dotts Jolly peacefully passed away on October 9, 2025, at the age of 96 after a brief stay at Evangelical Hospital in Lewisburg. She is survived by her daughter Kathleen A. Jolly, and her sons Jeffrey D. Jolly (Jenny) and Mark R. Jolly (Karen), along with ten grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband, Robert A. Jolly, her eldest son, Michael A. Jolly, her son-in-law, Nelson L. Burke, and her two younger siblings, Virginia Powell and W. Thomas Dotts.

Jeanne was born on November 12, 1928, in Milton, PA, the eldest child of William Merrill Dotts and Martha Kling Dotts. She enjoyed participating in Girl Scouts and served as a Scout Camp Counselor as a teenager. An exceptional student, Jeanne was selected to give the commencement address at her graduation from Milton High School in 1946.

Jeanne was captivated by the adventure and glamor of flight nursing, a role vividly depicted in 1940s advertisements and popular novels. In September 1949, she was awarded her Registered Nursing degree from the Presbyterian Hospital in Philadelphia, and then worked as a nurse at Geisinger Hospital and later as an occasional school nurse.

During her senior year of high school, she began a regular correspondence with a young man from her high school who was then serving in the U.S. Navy in Japan. She and Bob Jolly began dating upon his discharge, and on June 17, 1950, they married, embarking on an inseparable journey that lasted 73 years.

Jeanne and Bob settled in Lansing, NY, where they raised their four children along the shore of Cayuga Lake. As a devoted mother and wife, Jeanne created a warm and loving environment for her family. She planned numerous family camping vacations reaching from Florida to California, and later, with Bob, explored the world—from Europe and Israel to epic cross-country motorcycle trips. When travel eventually became a challenge, she enjoyed a quieter form of adventure in her lifelong passion for reading.

At midlife, Jeanne turned her intellectual curiosity towards studying her family history. Over the decades, she amassed genealogical records that included over 3700 names. Through her travels and research, she unearthed numerous family stories and secrets and was able to trace over a dozen families to their origins in Europe and the United Kingdom.

While she had a fondness for rummage sales, chocolate, and card games, Jeanne truly cherished the warmth and embrace of family gatherings. She loved being the one to make those moments happen, diligently organizing everything from annual camping trips to festive Fourth of July celebrations.

Jeanne will be dearly missed by her family and all who had the privilege of knowing her.

Family and friends are welcome from 10 to 11 a.m., Wednesday, October 15, at the Roupp Funeral Home, Inc., 8594 Old Turnpike Rd., Mifflinburg, where the funeral will be conducted at 11am.

In lieu of flowers, make a donation to your favorite charity, or to honor Jeanne, read a book and eat chocolates!