Bette Jeanne and Carla Kaplanoff

Betty Jeanne Newell was born on June 9, 1922 in Columbus, Ohio.

Jeanne and her sister, Marjorie (Newell) Radow, moved to their mother’s home town of Kenton in 1928.

Jeanne’s mother, Lucille (McCleary) Newell married J.D. Park, president of the regional telephone company in Ohio.

Jeanne graduated from Kenton High School in 1940 with her lifelong friends, Betty (Root) Kettle, Ella Mae (Marquart) Foster, Joe Hathaway, Gertrude (Philips) Stuckey, Billie and Betty Arnett, and Joanne Arn to name a few.

Jeanne met her future husband of 48 years, Carl Kaplanoff, a past All American and Captain of the Ohio State University football team.

He was drafted into WWII while playing pro-ball.

While stationed in California Jeanne worked on the Douglas B-17 aircraft as a Rosie Riveter.

Carl remained in the US Army 28 years retiring as a Lt. Colonel.

Their three daughters were born in Kenton and enjoyed summer vacations in Kenton when living at Army installations across the US and abroad through the years.

Their first born, Carla, became challenged with schizophrenia in her early twenties.

Jeanne became involved in the Alliance for the Mentally Ill to support re-designating mental illness as a physical illness.

Jeanne cared for Carla at home throughout most of her life.

Carla attended Wichita State University and the University of Maryland and worked for the Health, Education and Welfare department in Washington DC until she became ill.

Carla preceded Jeanne in death in May 2017. Jeanne passed in November 2017.

Jeanne and Carla are survived by her two daughters/sisters, Luanne (Kaplanoff) Fitton and Marjorie (Kaplanoff) Nawrocki; grandchildren Christopher Fitton and Louisa (Nawrocki) Liguori; great granddaughter, Alexis Fitton; nieces Ellen (Radow) Sadat; and Marcia (Radow) Mauz; nephew John Radow; and grand nephews Alexander Sadat and Weston Mauz.

Jeanne’s and Carla’s cremains will be interred at the Grove Cemetery next to Lucille Park on May 4, 2018.