Remembering Jennifer Durante

It was with profound sadness and broken hearts that the passing of Jennifer Durante was announced on October 1, 2018.  Only 45 years old, Jen was a warrior set free from her courageous 12-year battle with cancer.  Her everlasting spirit and enduring smile will be forever remembered. 

Beloved wife and soul mate to Michael, and devoted mother to twin 9 year old boys Nathan and Jonah and 5 year old daughter Phoebe. Jennifer was a passionate teacher who inspired all those who knew her. She touched so many young lives and families with her generosity, kindness, and loving spirit as an educator.  She instilled a love of reading and literacy in so many and was a beloved colleague to all. Jennifer will be fondly remembered by her students and school community at Norman Ingram Public School.  Her most special places included being in the classroom, visiting Ireland and spending time cottaging with her family.  Words simply cannot express how much she will be missed.

During the days leading up to her funeral and the difficult ones that have followed since, so many have asked how they can help.  Her friends and colleagues have created this fund as a way of honouring Jennifer’s memory in a place she loved deeply; her school, and as a way of helping her precious children follow the same pursuit of knowledge that she held so dear.

Our goals with this fund are to create:

·       An outdoor library and seating area that will be installed and dedicated to Jennifer in the outdoor learning garden which her classroom would have overlooked. 
 
·       A permanent reading nook, housing her favourite books that will be placed in the school library.

·        A yearly literacy award that will be established in her name and awarded to a graduating student who demonstrates a love of reading. 

·        An education fund that will be opened in trust for her children Jonah, Nathan and Phoebe to help pay for their education expenses.

Jennifer's most enduring legacy is her three beautiful children who now must carry on without her.  Jennifer and Michael made sure that they never wanted for anything, but we all know how expensive higher education can be and 12 years of battling cancer can be financially straining. This fund will not cover all their expenses but our hope is that if everyone is as generous as their means allow, it will contribute in some way.

Jen, you were a beacon for so many.  For those of us who had the privilege of knowing you, know that you have left an imprint on our hearts forever and your spirit will live on in us.