Jeanne O Conway

Jeanne Odom Conway passed and gained her angel wings Wednesday, February 15, 2023 in Gainesville, Florida. Jeanne was born in Fort Myers on March 9, 1957 and spent her childhood there. She attended Fort Myers High School and graduated from Charlotte High in 1975. An honored University of Florida alumna, she graduated with her Bachelors Degree in Recreational Therapy in 1979. She was a proud Lady Gator on both the tennis and softball teams, as well as a member of Kappa Delta sorority. Jeanne then worked as a Waterfront Director & Recreational Therapist working with deaf and blind children, as well as children with psychiatric disabilities, through a developmental school grant for 2 years where she had the opportunity to use her Sign Language skills. Thereafter, she worked with Charter Hospitals as a Recreational Therapist helping psychiatric and substance abuse patients (adolescents and adults) in an in-patient setting. Jeanne then earned her Juris Doctor from the UF Levin College of Law in 1991 which allowed her to continue her passion of helping children and families for decades.

Following in her father’s footsteps, Jeanne enjoyed a highly respected career in the law for over 30 years. Beginning her career in the Palm Beach area, she eventually relocated her family back to Gainesville, FL. Most of those years were spent serving many counties as Regional Counsel for the State of Florida Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel in North Central Florida. She spent her entire legal career helping people.

Jeanne is a beloved daughter, sister, friend, aunt, wife, mother, and grandmother (Mema). She is survived by her husband, Benjamin Conway; daughter, Laura Jeanne (Chris) Duke; and grandchildren, Emma Jeanne, Maverick Benjamin, and Baron Montgomery. She is also survived by siblings, Carol (Mac) Herring, Sharon (Jack) Burges, Ricky Odom, Jennie (Steve) Cross, and brother-in-law Ralph (Carlyn) Herring. She is loved and will be greatly missed by many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, cousins, in-laws, and special friends. She is predeceased by her parents, Archie & Julie Odom; sister-in-law, Sheila Odom; nephew, Casey Herring; great-nephew, Dustin Johnson.

Jeanne adored her family and was a cherished part of her grandchildren’s multi-generational home. She never missed the opportunity to get on the floor and play, take walks or ride bikes around the block, throw the ball and play catch, or spontaneous trips to theme parks and the skating rink. When asked, her grandchildren, and even the neighborhood kids, knew “Mema’s job is to play”. Gators football games, hiking, biking, kayaking, and spending time with friends and family brought her great joy as she loved the outdoors. Intelligent and driven, any challenge or game would bring out her competitive nature. She was always up for a good time and thoroughly enjoyed camaraderie throughout all aspects of her life - no matter the adventure, she was in. She loved to be with people but also enjoyed the solitude and peacefulness of the mountains and beach to help her recharge. She was an avid reader with over 1,100 books on her phone alone. She read whenever she had moments to herself - day or night. Memories of Jeanne are filled with the sound of her laughter, her smile - one of her best features-, as well as the light and positivity she could bring to any situation.

Details of Jeanne’s gathering of family and friends on March 9th, her birthday, will be announced shortly. We will honor Jeanne’s light and love with the Life is Good motto because that is how she lived: “Do What you Like and Like What you Do.”

In lieu of flowers, please consider continuing her legacy by donating in her honor to:

New Worlds Reading Initiative: https://www.newworldsreading.com

Florida Wildlife Federation: https://floridawildlifefederation.org/memorialgift/

Conservation Florida: https://conservationfla.org/

Crevasse's Simple Cremation is honored to serve the Conway Family.