Willis made her mark in service to children
BY LARRY HLAVENKA JR.
Correspondent

FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP - Jeanine Willis touched many lives during her years of community service and that is why it has been difficult for so many people to say goodbye.

Willis, 67, a sitting member of the Freehold Township Board of Education who had served on the panel for 26 years, and a volunteer participant in many other organizations, died from cancer on July 24.

Willis' impact stretched across Freehold Township, Monmouth County and New Jersey. Her record of service reveals her years as a devoted wife, mother and community servant. Among the organizations in which she participated were the Monmouth Council of Girl Scouts; the Noontime Optimist Club (of which she was a charter member); the New Jersey State Youth Soccer Association; the Monmouth-Ocean Soccer Association; and the Battle of Monmouth Soccer Club.

Willis and husband of 45 years, John Willis, had lived in Freehold Township since the beginning of their marriage. The couple have three children and three grandchildren.

John Willis, the retired Freehold Township chief of police, said he will remember his wife as a dedicated woman.

"She was very strong-minded when it came to her work, the school board, the Girl Scouts, she always wanted to make sure the right thing was being done," he said.

Freehold Township Superintendent of Schools William Setaro said he knew Willis for 13 years. When they first met, Setaro said, he knew right away that Willis "was a no-nonsense person" and "a real tough cookie." But Setaro said Willis was concerned about one thing - helping the district's students.

"The minute you got to know her, you knew that her heart was bigger than anyone else," Setaro said. "One thing was very clear, she loved children and she made sure she did the best for them. I don't know if you can find people that are so dedicated to what's best for children."

On the night of Willis' passing, the school board was scheduled to hold a regular meeting, but Setaro was unsure whether to go through with it. After conferring with other board members, the superintendent and board members agreed that Willis would have wanted the meeting to be held.

In her honor the board left Willis' seat empty and placed a single white rose next to her nameplate on the dais.

Board President Mindy Wille said she will miss Willis' sage guidance.

"She was the Freehold Township Board of Education," Wille said. "She was a fountain of knowledge for every board member. She knew what it was to be a board member; she was very proud of the things we accomplished. It is a big loss for the board."

Paula LeBlanc, Freehold Service Unit Manager for the Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore, said Willis served as a critical component to the organization's growth in Monmouth County. Willis was the original organizer registrar of the Monmouth Council of Girl Scouts and carried the responsibility of recruiting new members and troop leaders. LeBlanc said Willis was a matriarch of the Girl Scouts in Monmouth County.

"She placed I can't even tell you how many girls," LeBlanc said. "She was an amazing person; there are so many children in Freehold Township that she has impacted."

Willis wore many hats in the local and regional soccer communities as well. Most notably, for more than 20 years, she served as the executive director of the New Jersey State Youth Soccer Association.

Willis was laid to rest on July 28 at Maplewood Cemetery, Freehold Township, after funeral services at St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Freehold Borough.