Jean MacMillan Terpening Remembered for Love of Family

Jean MacMillan Terpening, beloved wife, sister, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother from the North Fork and Florida, died peacefully surrounded by her family in her home on December 6. She was 91.

She was born to George and Margaret MacMillan in Greenport on September 13, 1932. She grew up in the Eureka House on Love Lane in Mattituck with her parents and siblings. She met the love of her life, Claude M. Terpening, while scooping ice cream at Barker’s Pharmacy & Ice Cream Parlor. As the story goes, she gave him an extra scoop of cherry vanilla.

She graduated Mattituck High School in 1950, before training at Mary Immaculate Hospital, where she received her registered nursing degree. Jean and Claude later married at Our Lady of Good Counsel on June 25, 1955 and eventually moved to Kings Park to raise their two children, Margaret “Marnie” and Christine “Chris.”

In 1984, Jean and Claude retired and moved to a home on Coolidge Street in Hollywood, Florida, where they lived for almost 40 years.

Terpening enjoyed cooking, cleaning, reading, cross-stitching, visiting the beach, shopping and attending Sunday Mass at Nativity Catholic Church. She truly devoted her life to her family. She enjoyed hosting birthday parties and holiday dinners, as well as showering her family with unlimited amounts of love.

Affectionately known as “Gram” and “Grammy,” Terpening had the most beautiful blue eyes and heartwarming smile. She was a true class act and never complained. She was kind, clever, thoughtful, had a keen sense of humor, a contagious laugh, quick wit, the gift of gab and a heart of gold.

Preceded in death by her parents, sister Anne Chapman, sister Peggy Tuthill, brother Bob MacMillan and her husband of 64 loving years, she is survived by her daughter Marnie Carter (Gene), daughter Chris Whelan, granddaughter Meagan Whelan (Alex VanNostrand), granddaughter Kelly Mulligan, great granddaughters Mikaela Jean and Keira Lynn, and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation was held at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck followed by a mass at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church, with her final resting place next to Claude at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Cutchogue.

She will be deeply missed but forever loved by family and friends.