Jim Whitney made a transgender transition and became Jeanne Whitney in the 1980's. Prior to that, she fathered a son and married a good friend of mine. We lived near one another a while in the 1970's during that period, before they moved to New Mexico. They returned to the Santa Cruz area in the 80's and Jim became Jeanne in the mid-1980's. She died in 2007. Here is her obituary:
JEANNE WHITNEY
June 13, 1948 - July 1st, 2007
Born in San Francisco, raised both on the peninsula and Minnesota, Jeanne loved the Sierras and spent many years wandering in them. Reading, bonsai, genealogy, music and computers filled her days.
Santa Cruz was her home for the last thirty years. She worked as a computer administrator at UCSC. She had a quick wit and a sly grin.
We loved her 100%! Surrounded by her closest family members, Jeanne lost her battle with cancer early Sunday morning, July 1st. Many friends and co-workers supported her journey as well. Thanks to all of you!
Remembrances may be made to: Hidden Villa Trust 26870 Moody Rd., Los Altos Hills, CA 94022-4209 or Hospice Caring Project of Santa Cruz County, 940 Disc Dr., Scotts Valley, CA 95066.
Join us as we honor Jeanne's life on Saturday, July 28th at 2:00 p.m. at Dana Center, Hidden Villa Ranch, 26870 Moody Rd., Los Altos, CA.
From our first meeting I admired Jeanne as someone who could truly march to a different drummer and not walk in lock step with one fad or another. While I knew her, I don’t recall that she joined in the protests or the environmental groups, but she did manage to live her life in step with her own principles. In a group of friends we once tried to classify each of us as a fruit. For Jeanne, I picked a pomegranate. She was full of delightful surprises, but required some patience and work to know well. When I last spent time with Jeanne in the early 70’s she was on a bumpy journey but I failed to keep in touch when she left the Bay Area. I am glad to see that she reached her destination. Thank you, Bonnie for posting Jeanne’s story.
Jim Whitney and I were close friends in high school. Two factors brought us together. The first was our passionate -- and perhaps naive -- politics. We were both active in the anti-war movement in our senior year, and were partly responsible for adding the peace symbol to the Senior Walk. I think it's still there. The other factor was that we both had painful secrets. Mine was that I was gay; and in those days -- three years before the Stonewall uprising -- that was a terrifying and shameful secret. Jim's was more complicated in that neither he nor I understand what it was -- that "he" was actually a female in a male body. In those days almost no one understood what the word "transgender" meant, and Jim struggled in confusion for many years. We had a falling out in the 70's and went our separate ways. I came out in 1975, and Jim transitioned to her authentic identity as Jeanne in the 80's. I always hoped that some day we would find each other again in our true identities, but that was not to be. I'm glad that she found her soul. Her affect on my life was profound, and I miss her to this day.
Thanks for posting the obituary, Bonnie. I remember you and Jeanne and Ginger visited me when I lived way out in Bolinas, probably 1968, I took you on a scenic tour off-road and my Rambler got stuck in the mud. Everyone pitched in and managed to push it out.
Bonnie Kinsler (Marks)
Jim Whitney made a transgender transition and became Jeanne Whitney in the 1980's. Prior to that, she fathered a son and married a good friend of mine. We lived near one another a while in the 1970's during that period, before they moved to New Mexico. They returned to the Santa Cruz area in the 80's and Jim became Jeanne in the mid-1980's. She died in 2007. Here is her obituary:
JEANNE WHITNEY
June 13, 1948 - July 1st, 2007
Born in San Francisco, raised both on the peninsula and Minnesota, Jeanne loved the Sierras and spent many years wandering in them. Reading, bonsai, genealogy, music and computers filled her days.
Santa Cruz was her home for the last thirty years. She worked as a computer administrator at UCSC. She had a quick wit and a sly grin.
We loved her 100%! Surrounded by her closest family members, Jeanne lost her battle with cancer early Sunday morning, July 1st. Many friends and co-workers supported her journey as well. Thanks to all of you!
Remembrances may be made to: Hidden Villa Trust 26870 Moody Rd., Los Altos Hills, CA 94022-4209 or Hospice Caring Project of Santa Cruz County, 940 Disc Dr., Scotts Valley, CA 95066.
Join us as we honor Jeanne's life on Saturday, July 28th at 2:00 p.m. at Dana Center, Hidden Villa Ranch, 26870 Moody Rd., Los Altos, CA.
www.legacy.com/santacruzsentinel
Arthur Hopgood
From our first meeting I admired Jeanne as someone who could truly march to a different drummer and not walk in lock step with one fad or another. While I knew her, I don’t recall that she joined in the protests or the environmental groups, but she did manage to live her life in step with her own principles. In a group of friends we once tried to classify each of us as a fruit. For Jeanne, I picked a pomegranate. She was full of delightful surprises, but required some patience and work to know well. When I last spent time with Jeanne in the early 70’s she was on a bumpy journey but I failed to keep in touch when she left the Bay Area. I am glad to see that she reached her destination. Thank you, Bonnie for posting Jeanne’s story.
Thomas Moon
Jim Whitney and I were close friends in high school. Two factors brought us together. The first was our passionate -- and perhaps naive -- politics. We were both active in the anti-war movement in our senior year, and were partly responsible for adding the peace symbol to the Senior Walk. I think it's still there. The other factor was that we both had painful secrets. Mine was that I was gay; and in those days -- three years before the Stonewall uprising -- that was a terrifying and shameful secret. Jim's was more complicated in that neither he nor I understand what it was -- that "he" was actually a female in a male body. In those days almost no one understood what the word "transgender" meant, and Jim struggled in confusion for many years. We had a falling out in the 70's and went our separate ways. I came out in 1975, and Jim transitioned to her authentic identity as Jeanne in the 80's. I always hoped that some day we would find each other again in our true identities, but that was not to be. I'm glad that she found her soul. Her affect on my life was profound, and I miss her to this day.
Judy Jackson (Harris)
Thanks for posting the obituary, Bonnie. I remember you and Jeanne and Ginger visited me when I lived way out in Bolinas, probably 1968, I took you on a scenic tour off-road and my Rambler got stuck in the mud. Everyone pitched in and managed to push it out.