Obituary photo by Jean Koenig
Jean Marie (Zeblisky) Koenig, aged 93, died on Sunday, November 20, 2022 surrounded by her family at the Belair Nursing Home in Goffstown, New Hampshire.
She was born on August 7, 1929 to Theodore and Julia (Hauck) Zeblisky. Although born after the Great Depression, she enjoyed a fulfilling, loving childhood with her sister Helen and brothers Ted, Rudy, Cliff and Joe.
She attended a Catholic elementary school in Hicksville, NY and always treasured a picture of Christ given to her by one of the nuns at school.
Jean recalled learning cartwheels and handstands from her father as a young girl, which later sparked her interest as a gymnast in high school. She played the flute in the high school marching band with her brother Rudy and has many fond memories of the activities she participated in and many friends she had at Farmingdale Public School.
Jean proudly received a New York State Regents Diploma from Farmingdale Public School, Farmingdale, NY on June 23, 1944. After high school she worked for NY Telephone and was quite proud of her work there.
In 1949, she met her husband Charles Koenig at a roller rink for lemonade and laughter. Throughout their lives they have both told this story so many times, each time it was told it was like their family reliving their love story. They began life together on January 14, 1950 in marriage, and their home in Seaford, NY was soon filled with a loving family of 5 children, Jean, Gary, Linda, Roy and Ken. They moved to Mont Vernon, New Hampshire, in 1971 and lived out the rest of their lives there together, often caring for their grandchildren. She retired from the Kenmore Stamp Company, Milford, NH, at the age of 84.
She had an infectious giggle, a beautiful smile and a great sense of humor. She remembered once sewing up the sleeves of her Uncle Jim’s jacket. Her sense of humor was never mean or at the expense of others, always innocent and pure but still a little mischievous.
She has enjoyed being active and gardening all her life, but her true love has been her family. Always putting everyone else’s needs ahead of her own, she frequently hosted family gatherings and cooked large holiday meals for extended family visits with the echo of “Sit down mom, will you eat ma, please sit down”, as she took care of every detail of the meal. She prepared favorite dishes for her grandchildren, loved to play games and solve puzzles whenever they visited, and continued to be a matriarch to her family.
Sharing a cup of tea and a slice of her homemade wild blueberry pie brought comfort to many, and she loved desserts. She enjoyed receiving calls and emails with updates on the minor and major accomplishments of her friends, family, children and grandchildren, and her home was filled with family photos. In many ways, Jean is the true epitome of unconditional love and unwavering support.
Finally, Jean also had a love of history; to salvage a treasure trove of historical newspapers, photos and letters that were significant to them. In 2016, she shared many of these memories with her daughter Linda and granddaughter Jessica, knowing her memory was failing to document them for her obituary. She giggled throughout the interview and it was always apparent that she enjoyed listening to others more than talking about herself. But something about that clear day enhanced the value of a human life to be remembered. Her legacy is the love she gave, the memories and the family she built.
Besides her parents, before her died her son Gary Koenig (November 17, 1976), husband Charles Koenig (July 28, 2007), brother Ted Zeblisky (2011), brother Rudy Zeblisky (2012), and special nephew Phil Zeblisky ( 2017).
She is survived by her children Jean (Gene) Whitcomb of Hadley, MA, Linda Clarke of Binghamton, NY, Roy Koenig of Milford, NH, Ken (Lisa) Koenig of New Boston, NH, her grandsons Patrick (Elizabeth) Clarke of Binghamton, NY , Jessica (David) Harney from Rome, NY, Faith (Jon) Cummings from Stoneham, MA, Doug (Ashley) Whitcomb from Prairieville, LA, Maelynn Clarke from Binghamton, NY, Abigail (Zack) Egbert from Eugene, OR, and Alex Koenig of New Boston, NH, along with eight great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister Helen Albert, brother Cliff Zeblisky, brother Joseph (Patricia) Zeblisky, sister-in-law Sophie Zeblisky, and numerous beloved nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and grand-nephews.
Like many other families, the Covid 19 pandemic has robbed us of precious time together. Her family never gave up that they would get through the challenges of those years with faith, love and support; all the virtues she instilled in them all. Heartfelt thanks to the staff at the Belair Nursing Home in Goffstown, NH for the safety and loving care they provided her in the last few years of her life, giving the family more time with Jean in a comfortable space.
Funeral services are private. Burial will be at Green Lawn Cemetery in Mont Vernon, New Hampshire. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Share Outreach, Inc., 1 Columbus Avenue, Milford, NH 03055, USA.
The arrangements are in the care of Smith & Heald Funeral Home, 63 Elm Street, Milford. To share a memory or offer condolences, please go to www.smith-heald.com.