Jeanette Grace Garner, Longtime Chambersburg Resident, Dies at 81

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Jeanette Grace Garner, a lifelong resident of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, passed away on February 5, 2026 at the age of 81 after a brief illness. Garner was remembered as a faithful sister, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who dedicated her life to serving others with joy and little regard for her own needs.

Why it matters

Garner's story highlights the impact an individual can have through a lifetime of selfless service to family and community. As a devoted caretaker for her siblings after her mother's passing and a longtime advocate for those with disabilities, Garner's legacy reflects the power of compassion and perseverance.

The details

Born in 1944 in Fannettsburg, Pennsylvania, Garner learned the value of service from a young age, accompanying her mother on errands and chores to help local friends and family. After her mother's death when Garner was in high school, she became a 'second mother' to her siblings, successfully advocating for them to return home rather than be placed in children's homes. Garner went on to work as a seamstress for decades before devoting the last 20 years of her life to aiding her daughter in founding a residence for those with disabilities.

• Garner was born on March 7, 1944 in Fannettsburg, Pennsylvania.
• When Garner was in 6th grade, doctors discovered a 13-pound tumor in her mother Erma, who died in September 1961 after six months of hospitalization.
• Garner graduated from Fannett-Metal High School in 1962.
• Garner worked as a professional seamstress at Stanley Company in Chambersburg for several decades.
• Garner then devoted two more decades to the service of those with disabilities, aiding her daughter Deana Shaeffer in the founding of Full Circle Residence in Chambersburg.
• Garner passed away on February 5, 2026 at the age of 81.