Jeanne Adams Duhamel, of Oyster Bay, NY, aged 83, passed away peacefully in her sleep in

the early morning of December 31, 2023.  She was surrounded by loved ones. Jeanne was born

in Brooklyn, NY on April 23,1940 and was a proud lifelong New Yorker. Afflicted with polio at the

age of 3, she made a clear distinction that she was a survivor not a victim of polio. When

doctors told her that she would never walk again, she tapped into her fierce determination,

loaded her baby stroller with bricks, strengthened her legs, and proved them wrong. She went

on to help her parents raise her six younger siblings. While she was somewhat physically

restricted by polio, she never accepted any physical limitations. That stubborn determination

carried her through many difficulties throughout her life and she was the true definition of a

fighter. She was ecstatic when a vaccine was discovered which protected her siblings and future

generations from the virus. As a result, Jonas Salk enjoyed celebrity status in her family. After

attending Catholic University, she began her teaching career. Through teaching she met her

future husband, Anthony L. Duhamel. Upon their marriage and despite the fact that she earned

more than her husband, she was required to resign her teaching position since rules at the time

did not allow women to work in the same district as their husbands. She went on to raise seven

loving children and in an effort to make things better for them and all children, she felt it was her

civic duty to get involved with the Public Library Board and later the local School Board. As a

devout Catholic, she also felt called to teach CCD and ran that religious education program for

St. Dominic's during the 1970's. After the birth of her 7th child, Jeanne was proud to start her

teaching career again and with a big heart and a lot of compassion, she tutored teens on

suspension in the Huntington Public school system. Later in life she found great joy volunteering

at the Oyster Festival and local polling stations during elections. She also enjoyed working at

the St. Ignatius Jesuit Retreat house at Inisfada. Throughout her life, Jeanne was proudest of

her children and grandchildren. Jeanne was predeceased by her parents, James and Marie

Adams, and her siblings James Adams, Michael Adams, and Patrice Wolf. She is survived by

her siblings Peter Adams (Janice), Maryanne Bonom (Neil) and Christorpher Adams, her seven

children, Margaret Duhamel, Kristine Giacobbe (Dean), Kerri Ward (George), James Duhamel

(Cia), Michael Duhamel, Kathryn Duhamel (Dan), Colleen Reisner (Dave) and eight

grandchildren, Sophia Catalina, Rich Catalina, Nick Catalina, Cole Giacobbe, Jack Giacobbe,

Gracen Ward, George Ward, Jr. and Henry Eisenberg.

A Mass of Christian Burial was at St. Dominic R.C.Chapel on January 4th. 2024 with Burial at The Green Wood Cemetery.