Honoring Jeanne: A Legacy of Care and Connection

Imagine a station wagon groaning under the weight of food from the Food Bank of the Rockies. Imagine someone willing, even insistent, on going back for another box of bananas to squeeze into the packed car (which had to make it up highway 285) so that people in her community could have fresh fruit.

Imagine someone willing to drive all the way down the hill to Costco every Tuesday and buy dozens of rotisserie chickens on her own nickel so that her neighbors in need could take a break from cooking and still enjoy something fresh and delicious.

Imagine someone who drove all the way up to Conifer to bring chickens and volunteer even after they had moved to Littleton.

That was Graham Gibbard’s wife, Jeanne.

The couple moved to Evergreen in the late 90s after successful careers in psychology back east. Graham had retired from his position supporting veterans at the VA, and Jeanne wanted to transition from her career as a therapist into community organizing. They both fell in love with the area where Graham could pursue his dreams of hiking and Jeanne could focus on artistic pursuits and making a difference for her neighbors.

We talked to Graham at the end of March about his generous gifts to Mountain Resource Center, and stories of his late wife sparkled through his conversation like sunshine reflecting off a mountain lake. “She was an amazing person. She really was.”

Jeanne came from a blue-collar background, and her approach was down to earth. She had a talent for listening to people to find out what they really needed instead of making assumptions. And “she didn’t just do things herself, she made connections. She brought people together.” That included Graham, who donated his time to MRC and other local organizations to work side by side with his wife.

Jeanne and Graham started making significant financial contributions to MRC during her lifetime, and Graham’s ongoing support is a way for him to honor his wife and her profound legacy in the community.

He now lives in Littleton, and he knows that Mountain Resource Center has grown and changed since he and Jeanne moved down the hill. “I’m very interested in the preschool program…. And now I do get a very nice tax credit for that, which just enhanced my interest somewhat. But I would have done that anyway. It’s just that it’s a nice icing on the cake.” He is also particularly interested in the Mobile Food Share program, which brings food to six locations in Bailey, Pine Junction, and Evergreen, making things easier for neighbors who don’t have reliable access to transportation.

Jeanne and Graham’s story is more than a personal history. It is an important reminder of how community is built: by stepping in when there is a need, by making connections and bringing people together, by going the extra mile (all the way to Costco!), and by making donations of time, of skill, of energy, of commitment, and of financial resources.

We are so grateful to Graham for the way he is honoring Jeanne’s legacy through crucial financial donations. But also for sharing Jeanne’s story, ensuring that she remains part of the fabric of Mountain Resource Center as the agency moves forward into the future.

If supporting MRC financially or as a volunteer is right for you, visit our website at www.mrcco.org.