Jeanne Pernice

Jeanne Frances Pernice (née Meyer), 79, of Carrabassett Valley passed away on December 15, 2022 following a long illness. Jeanne was born on December 28, 1942 to James Meyer and Emogene Meyer (née Wiese) of Davenport, Iowa. She is survived by her former husband Charles Pernice and two loving daughters - Anne Marie, her husband Greg Dykes and granddaughter, Marina of St. Paul, Minnesota, and Jeanne Pernice Madden, her husband Chris and granddaughters Isabelle and Katie of Falmouth, Maine.

Jeanne studied at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa where she met Charles of Brooklyn, New York, who was studying medicine. Together they raised their three daughters in Winslow, Maine.

She continued her education at the University of Maine at Farmington/Orono and Clarion University where she studied school administration and Library and Information Science.

Over the years, Jeanne enjoyed several careers. She operated the family sporting camp, Big Lyford Pond Camps, where the family spent summers with guests and friends and winters snowmobiling and cross-country skiing.

She later became the librarian at Winslow High School where her three daughters attended. In 1986 she received the Librarian of the Year Award from Maine Association of School Librarians.

Jeanne was later employed by SAD 3, where she again served at the Mount View High School as the librarian as well as curriculum coordinator. Under Jeanne’s leadership, Mt. View became the pilot site for the Maine School Library Network (MSLN). MSLN is a multi-million-dollar communications system that eventually linked all Maine schools and libraries to one another, and to the Internet.

Jeanne was also heavily involved with the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI). Beginning in 2002 the State of Maine became the first State to provide portable computers to 7th and 8th grade students and middle-school educators. When MLTI began in Maine, it was one of the first such initiatives anywhere in the world and first in the United States. Presently, MLTI currently provides devices (both tablet and laptop computers) to over 80,000 teachers and students making it the country’s largest such program to date.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Jeanne Pernice had a very active life. She was an avid runner, mountain biker, and enjoyed hiking, golfing, fishing and skiing. While at Winslow High School, she and fellow faculty/ski lovers began a program to provide discounted lift tickets, rental and lesson packages, as well as a free bus ride to Sugarloaf and Sunday River. It can be truthfully said that Jeanne introduced a whole new generation of Mainers to skiing.

Her daughters fondly remember the many trips Jeanne took them on. Whether it was driving across the country to visit family, skiing at some of the best resorts in the US and Canada, or enjoying the sunshine in Florida, she always had an endless supply of energy. She even became a Registered Maine Guide.

Jeanne retired to live at her beloved Sugarloaf condo and enjoyed skiing with her children and grandchildren. She was a former secretary and member of the J.V. Wing Snowmobile Club of Carrabassett Valley and was active as a member of the Carrabassett Valley Outdoor Association. She maintained her active lifestyle until her illness prevented her from doing so.

Jeanne is predeceased by her daughter Cynthia of the Carrabassett Valley on March 6, 2023 and siblings Jeannette “Jan” Meyer Pfeiffer of Connecticut and James Meyer of Iowa. She is survived by sisters Julie Cutler of Iowa and Mary Joy Math of Michigan, as well as many nieces and nephews and a large number of good friends.

Special thanks to Scarborough Terrace Assisted Living Facility and Compassus Hospice Care for supporting Jeanne and her daughters through a difficult time.

A Celebration of Life will be held for Jeanne and daughter Cynthia Pernice from 2 PM - 4PM on May 20, 2023 at the Competition Center, Sugarloaf USA in Carrabassett Valley, Me. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Jeanne’s name to Carrabassett Valley Public Library, 3209 Carrabassett Dr #3, Carrabassett Valley, ME 04947. Donations will be used to add to the library’s fiction collection. Condolence cards for the family may be sent to Jeannie Madden, 20 Inverness Drive, Falmouth, ME 04105.

Fond expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.jonesrichandbarnes.com for the Pernice family.