Jeannine M. Whitehead

Venice, Florida – Mrs. Jeannine M. Whitehead, of Venice, Florida, died Friday, June 3, 2016 at the Prescott House in North Andover. She was 85.

Jeannine was born in Fall River on July 31, 1930, a daughter of the late Joseph and Laurence (Hamel) DesRoches. After her mother's death when Jeannine was still an infant she was adopted and raised by her aunt and uncle, Albert and Jeannette (Hamel) Michaud.

Following her marriage to Charles F. Whitehead the couple lived in Fall River before moving to Somerset where they raised four daughters. A move to Centerville followed before retirement brought the pair to Venice, Florida.

Charles and Jeannine enjoyed forty-eight years of marriage before his death on February 7, 1998.

Jeannine worked as an interior decorator, first at Mason's Furniture in Fall River and then at Meyer's Furniture Company on the Cape. She loved the theatre, travel and the opera. While living in Venice she belonged to the Venice Opera Guild.

She leaves her children, Kathleen W. McGuigan and her husband, David, of Boxford, Nancy L. Patterson and her husband, Joseph Regina, of Braintree, Patricia W. Hagerman and her husband, Richard, of Lakeville; her grandchildren, Sarah Patterson Munyon and Michelle Dyke; her son-in-law, Edmund Dyke of Beverly and her brother, Joseph DesRoches and his wife, Norma, of Warwick, Rhode Island. Jeannine was also the mother of the late Elizabeth A. Dyke.

Family and friends will honor and remember Jeannine's life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Steet (Rte. 20), Waltham on Friday, June 10th from 4 to 7:30 p.m. and again on Saturday morning at Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Church, 880 Trapelo Road, Waltham where her Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284.