Obituary of Jeanette Marie Wanner

Our dearest Jeanette Marie Gomes Wanner, resident of Kent, WA passed away peacefully at home on Saturday July 8th after nearly five years of treatment for lung cancer.

Jeanette was born on April 15, 1956 on the island of Oahu to Peter August Gomes Jr. and Kathryn Joan Cambra. As a military family they had the opportunity to live in Hawaii, Germany, Texas, Colorado, and again in Hawaii before settling in Washington. Jeanette was a devoted sister to her 3 brothers and 4 sisters. She graduated from Kentridge High School in 1974.

Jeanette married her cherished husband Neal Bradley Wanner, on August 18, 1977 in the Salt Lake City Utah Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She is survived by Neal, their two children: Christine (Jeremy) Hall of Rigby, ID and Braden (Caitlyn) Wanner of Ashton, ID; and 4 adored grandchildren: Lily, Anne, Thomas, and Joseph Hall. In addition, Jeanette is survived by four siblings Cheryl (Andrew) Rist, David (Debbie) Gomes, Margaret (Glen) Doll, and Deborah Ossiander, as well as her beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and dearest friends she has loved like family. She was preceded in death by her parents, and her siblings Peter August Gomes III, Joseph Gomes, and Lucia Elli.

For over 35 years Jeanette and Neal have worked side by side to establish and grow his dental practice in Kent. Caring for their patients and staff came naturally to Jeanette. In the early years of the practice, she taught herself how to run the front desk, manage the books and payroll for the office, fill in as a dental assistant, and more. She created an office environment that felt like a home. Decorating the office seasonally and for special holidays brought Jeanette so much happiness. Her touches were seen in every corner of the dental practice and were appreciated by patients and staff. Jeanette and Neal saw the practice as a family venture and were life partners in their roles to facilitate its operation.

One of Jeanette’s favorite ways to add beauty to the world was through music. She studied piano from a young age and was a natural singer. In her teen years she discovered a love of choral singing through experiences in church and high school. That love led her to become a self-taught conductor. Her ability to portray the feeling of any piece of music and extract it from the choirs she conducted was a special gift. Jeanette began a long standing tradition of Christmastime sing-in performances of Handel’s Messiah, hosted by the Kent Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She filled the role of conductor and learned so much in the years she produced and directed Messiah in this area. The orchestral knowledge and connections she gained from Messiah allowed Jeanette the opportunity to stand as pit director for many Broadway musicals put on by the Kent Stake. She loved working with youth and adults to put on shows. Her goal was to bring out the best in all the performers. For over two decades, Jeanette and Neal sang as members of the Rainier Chorale. Weekly rehearsals, serving on the board, and providing decorations for concerts and special events gave Jeanette years of fulfillment.

Jeanette and Neal shared great adventures together throughout their marriage. Among their favorites were the many Harley motorcycle trips with the Thulins, Colemans, Muirs, Hoisingtons, Halls, and Stringers. Those trips fostered lifelong friendships through unforgettable experiences. Jeanette was never a fan of being on the bike, but she willingly drove the support vehicles. She enjoyed the sweet memories, goofy antics, and strong bonds of friendship resulting from their Harley gang.

Jeanette counted her greatest blessings as her testimony of Jesus Christ and membership within His Church, her marriage to Neal, their children, and grandchildren.  To know Jeanette is to know true grace, boundless generosity, and radiant beauty. To have been unfailingly and unconditionally loved by her is a precious gift we will treasure forever.

Funeral services will be held at the Kent Stake Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - 12817 SE 256th Street Kent, WA 98030 on Monday July 17. There will be a viewing from 10:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. and the funeral will begin at 12:00 p.m. The interment service will be the following day, Tuesday July 18 at 10:00 a.m. at Mountain View Cemetery - 2020 Mountain View Drive Auburn, WA 98001.

To view a livestream of the funeral service use this link: https://zoom.us/j/97119925045