Ethel Jeanette (Rushing) Bibbens

Our sweet and spicy mother, Jeanette, departed this planet after 80 years. The youngest of 5 children, Jeanette was born in Natchez, Mississippi and moved with her parents to New Orleans at the age of eight. She was proud of her NOLA roots and loved to share stories of growing up in “Nawlins”, where she lived until 1966 when she was introduced to and shortly thereafter married her husband, Roy.  

The two lived briefly in Atlanta before moving to San Juan, Puerto Rico, where welcomed their first son, Daniel, in 1967. Two years later, they moved to Orlando, FL, where Jeanette gave birth to their second son, Darin. As the boys grew, Roy was insistent that they attend the same small town school he grew up in, so the young family moved north to Weedsport, NY. Once the boys were in school, Jeanette volunteered at the Auburn Memorial Hospital as a “candy striper”, delivering flowers and gifts to hospitalized patients with a sing-song voice and a smile.  

Unexpectedly, the family grew by one more in 1977, as they celebrated the arrival of their favorite daughter, Bridgid. Jeanette then remained a stay-at-home mother for the next seventeen years and was devoted to raising her children, never missing a single sporting event or musical performance. She loved to cook and tried to convince her kids to eat vegetables, whipping up colorful mystery meals with names like “Sunset Surprise”, although her standby specialty was always Cajun red beans and rice. Jeanette was an amazing baker and the holidays were always overflowing with cookies, cakes, and her truly divine divinity (at least, when the humidity and temperature were just right.). 

When the youngest of her children went off to college, Jeanette worked at the TC Timber toy company in Skaneateles, gift wrapping hand-crafted wooden toys which brought her great joy. We all noticed our birthday and Christmas gifts had an elevated aesthetic after that. Roy and Jeanette moved to Charlotte, NC and eventually to the Raleigh area once their youngest granddaughter was born. Their two granddaughters, Gabriela and Alyssa, were their pride and joy, and they adored every moment they got to spend with them. 

After 57 years of marriage, Roy passed away after a brief illness on October 2, 2023, and Jeanette’s dementia took a fairly rapid downturn without her husband by her side to keep her grounded. Her sparkling eyes, quick wit, and strong hugs will be dearly missed by all who had the good fortune of loving her. 

Jeanette is predeceased by her brother Carlton Rushing, sisters Marjorie Rushing Baroni, Joanne Rushing Jordan, and Alice Rose Rushing Radelat; grandson Alexander Bibbens; and husband Donald LeRoy Bibbens. She is survived by sons Daniel Bibbens and Darin Bibbens, daughter Bridgid Bibbens, and beloved granddaughters Gabriela Bibbens and Alyssa Bibbens. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her honor to the Dementia Society of America. (https://www.dementiasociety.org/)

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