Jeannette “Jeannie” Laura (Lindal) Hutchins

     Jeannette “Jeannie” Laura Hutchins, age 91, of Washington Island, passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Sturgeon Bay, with her daughter, Holly, by her side.

     She was born to the late Daniel and Agnes (Hanson) Lindal on June 22, 1933, in Sister Bay. She graduated from Washington Island High School in 1951. A few days after graduation, Jeannie was united in marriage to Lonald Richard “Dick” Johnson. He preceded her in death on July 10, 1955.

     To quote a poem by Linda Ellis, The Dash Between, “And between the date when we arrive and the date we go away, there exists a horizontal line that captures every single day.” Jeannie’s dash was full of love, family, faith, happiness, friendship, heartache and joy; the list goes on and on. She was a widow at 22 with two small children and another on the way, but she persevered and was blessed with three more children. She was a pillar of strength and determination, and no matter what life threw at her, she always said with a smile, “I’ll be fine”.

     Jeannie worked throughout her life while raising six children. Jeannie was a switchboard operator for the Washington Island Telephone Company, she and her husband ran Dick’s Grocery Store on the Island, she was a bartender at “Jim’s Up the Road” (Nelsen’s Hall), owner and operator of Chief Oshkosh Trading Post in Egg Harbor, (Chief Oshkosh was her much loved step-father), a tour guide on bus tours on Washington Island, and until 2022, she was a docent for 23 years at Jacobsen’s Museum on Washington Island. Her love of history and all things Washington Island made her the perfect person to greet museum visitors with a smile and stories for days.

     Jeannie loved more than anything spending time with her family whether watching her grandchildren’s sporting events, watching Packer games, playing cribbage, having a glass or two of wine, a big family fish boil, or family reunions in Canada or on her beloved Washington Island. Nothing made her smile like being surrounded by all of her grandchildren, especially if they were helping her cheer on the Islanders baseball team. She was a fan from the age of five, and those ballgames won’t be quite the same without hearing “just a little hit, a nice little hit” coming from the stands behind home plate.

     Jeannie is survived by her children, Deborah (Gary) DeFerrari, Holly Killingsworth, Dixie (Steven) Jorns, and Edward (Elizabeth) Hutchins; 11 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and eight great-great-grandchildren. She is further survived by nieces, nephews, other relatives, and an abundance of friends.

     She is preceded in death by her husband, Dick; children, Ralph Hutchins and Laura Hutchins; granddaughter, Payge Baker; great-granddaughter, Jasmine Baker; son-in-law, Jerry “Pete” Killingsworth; brother, Bill Lindal; and sister, Gloria Bernstein.

     A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, August 24, 2024, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1763 Townline Road, Washington Island with Rev. Edward Baseman officiating. Inurnment will take place at Washington Island Cemetery following the service. Visitation will be at church on Saturday, August 24, 2024, from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service. As a longtime fan and supporter of the Washington Island Baseball Team, we encourage you to wear your Islanders apparel or Islanders Green.

     “We would like to thank Unity Hospice for the care and compassion they showed our mother and our family during this difficult time.”

     In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Jeannie’s name to the Washington Island Baseball Team, Jacobsen's Museum, or Unity Hospice.

     Casperson Funeral Home & Cremation Services is assisting the family. Expressions of sympathy and memories of Jeannie may be shared with her family through her tribute page at www.caspersonfuneralhome.com.

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