Jean Eakle

Jean Nottingham Eakle, 95, of Chambersburg, PA, passed away on March 4, 2022 at Menno Haven Health Center. She was born on December 28, 1926 in Duck, WV, to Willie and Belle (Chapman) Nottingham, the youngest of five children.

Jean grew up in Glenville, WV, where she attended school from the first grade through college, graduating from Glenville State College in 1944. She began taking piano lessons as a child, and became her church’s pianist while still in high school. She married Burke Eakle in 1951, and began the nomadic life of a Navy wife. Burke’s career took them to Texas, Tennessee, Florida, Virginia, Washington, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Hawaii. Throughout their Navy life, she volunteered with the Navy Relief Society and the American Red Cross, working for these organizations several days a week. She was honored by the Red Cross with the Clara Barton Award, and was recognized on multiple occasions by Andrews AFB for her volunteer service. In 2012, she moved to Chambersburg to be near her family. Continuing her legacy of service, she volunteered at St. Paul United Methodist Church, First United Methodist Church, and Chambersburg Hospital into her nineties. Family was always Jean’s greatest joy, and she was proud that her children followed their father into military service, with her husband, daughter, and son all on active duty at the same time.

Jean is survived by her daughter, Jan “Denny” Eakle of Chambersburg, PA; her son Jeffrey (husband of Darlene) Eakle, of Orange Park, FL; nephews Edward Coon of New Haven, WV, and Larry (husband of Sue) Gillespie of Morgantown, WV; in addition to many other nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Burke, in 1993; and her siblings Herbert Nottingham, Lucille Gillespie, Sara Coon, and Ray Nottingham.

The family would like to thank the Menno Haven Health Center staff for their compassionate care during Jean’s final days.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, March 9, 2022 in the Chapel of Thomas L. Geisel Funeral Home and Cremation Center, Chambersburg, PA. Rev. Rick Noll will officiate. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6:00-7:00 PM on Tuesday March 8, 2022 and from 10:00 AM until services begin at 11:00 AM on Wednesday at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial donations to your local chapter of the American Red Cross.