Jeanne Foote Dalton

Jeanne Foote Dalton passed away on December 27, 2023 in Charleston, South Carolina. Her husband of 58 years, William J. Dalton, passed away in January 2008. A Celebration of Life will be held for Jeanne on Seabrook Island, S.C. in March.  

 

Jeanne was born on May 25, 1926 to the late Mark and Mildred ( Gove ) Foote in Washington , D.C. She was the youngest of three sisters. Jeanne spent her early years in the Chevy Chase and Spring Valley areas of Washington D.C. Her father was a graduate of the University of Michigan in 1903 and became the national correspondent and chief of the Washington , D.C. bureau for Booth Newspapers ( Michigan ) from 1913 until his passing in 1957 , covering the administrations of seven Presidents of the United States. Her mother was a graduate of the New Hampshire Teachers College in 1914 and became a teacher and then stay-at -home mother who brought a love of classical music and playing the piano into the life of the family.  Jeanne’s childhood memories included helping her mother feed those in need during the Depression , Easter Egg Rolls on the White House lawn, ice skating on the streets of D.C. and a summer working at Yellowstone Park.

 

Jeanne attended Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri before transferring in 1946 to Georgetown University where she was a member of the 1948 graduating class with a B.A. from the Georgetown School of Foreign Service.  Jeanne met and later married her husband , Bill , while they both attended the School of Foreign Service . Their first date was the Diplomats Ball in the spring of 1947. They were engaged in June 1948 and married in June 1949 . Over the course of their marriage they lived and raised their three children, Mark, Roger and Denise in New York City , Washington,D.C., Norfolk Va. , Pontiac , Clarkston and Birmingham , Michigan ,and  Oakwood and Aurora , Ohio. In 1980, Bill’s career took them to Scotland. They returned to the United States and retired to Seabrook Island, South Carolina in 1984. 

 

Jeanne chose the Charleston area for their retirement because of her love of culture, history and nature. She and Bill enjoyed music, theater, historical sites , beaches and the Low Country together for decades. They made great friends who enriched their lives in countless ways. Jeanne enjoyed playing classical and Broadway pieces on her piano, writing poetry for family and friends, sharing her views in occasional letters to the editor, tutoring elementary school children and providing healthcare advice ( gleaned from University and Medical Center newsletters ) to family members on a continuous basis. In 1999 they moved one final time to Bishop Gadsden Retirement Community on James Island, S.C. where they continued to enjoy their lives together until Bill’s passing in January 2008. Jeanne continued to thrive within the BG community, occupying herself with a variety of activities and friendships.

 

Jeanne was predeceased by her husband Bill, her parents, Mark and Mildred Foote , as well as her sisters Grace Brownlie and Barbara Layos. Left to cherish her memory are her sons Mark (Susan), Roger(Lynn), and daughter Denise (Rob). Jeanne was a loving and proud grandmother to 8 grandchildren, Erik, Kurt(Michele), Chris (Ashley), Katie(Zach), Joe, Elizabeth (Dave), Emily(Clay), and Will. She adored her 10 great grandchildren, Juliette, Vivienne, Alex, Brielle, Isabella, Charlie, Jack, George, Dalton and Beckett. Jeanne was very close to and enjoyed many loving visits and family events with her nephews and nieces , particularly David Brownlie and the vast and entertaining FitzGerald clan . She also enjoyed a special friendship with her caregiver of many years, Yvonne, who was generous with her love and her time. 

The family would like to offer thanks to the staff at Bishop Gadsden and Lutheran Hospice for their nursing and related care for Jeanne. 

 

Memorials for Jeanne can be made to a charity of one’s choice. The family will remember the blessings of her presence in our lives for the rest of our days .