Jenny Lee Hartford (Vreeland)

Jenny Lee Hartford (Vreeland), 61, of Astor, FL, and Schenectady, NY, passed away unexpectedly on December 29, 2023. Jenny was born in Albany, NY, on February 19, 1962, to Susan (Burkle) Smith and John R Smith II. As a young girl, Jenny was always curious. She loved to catch sunfish early in the morning so they could be in the frying pan for breakfast. She loved exploring the shore, playing flute, and causing mischief. At 17, she got married to James F. Vreeland III and together they had four children. She later became a mother to two children through a long-term relationship. She was a stay-at-home mother for several years. She valued each moment with her kids. She provided warmth and challenging counsel to them as they grew. Jenny dropped out of high school as a teenager, but later returned to school and got her GED on credit hours through SCCC. She started taking classes at Union College and graduated with a BS in Mathematics. She went on to get her MS in Education with a minor in Computer Science. She wanted to change the world. And she did. She was tireless in her dedication to helping those less fortunate than herself. She worked as a counselor at Waitt House, an institution dedicated to the care of teenagers in the foster system. When the facility closed, she took one of the young men into her own home until he came of age. She was a drug counselor at Conifer Park. She ran an afterschool program at Carver Community Center. She loved Schenectady. The community, the diversity, the over 90 languages spoken. Schenectady was her home and heart. After finishing her Master's, she finally became a teacher. It was her dream work. She was a resource to every student and family she met. She cherished working at Steinmetz Education Center, helping students succeed when others had found them too difficult to tolerate. She later worked at Mont Pleasant. After a rocky road to early retirement precipitated by the onset of debilitating mental illness, Jenny rallied. She restarted her life. A Phoenix rising, once again, from the ashes of a previous life. She started going to camp at McConchie's in Galway, NY. She studied permaculture to design food gardens that were responsible and efficient. She became a snowbird in Astor, FL. She met her dear husband, Wayne Hartford. She was a member of the Masonic Temple in Schenectady. She said she joined so that she would have an after-hours place to drink but she took this organization seriously. She was an incredible cook and introduced friends and family to numerous world cuisines. She won numerous grants for the organizations she worked for. Mom created community everywhere she went. Everything she did, she did hard. And she did most of it well. Her grandchildren were the light of her life. Jenny is survived by her husband, Wayne Hartford; her children, Sara Bush, Chelsea Abè (Colby), Jake Vreeland (Danielle), Amelia Vreeland-Wolff (Justin);’ and Kirsten Chuley; grandchildren, Jacob and Jace Vreeland, Dietrich, Leeloo, Reese, and Penelope Abè; Zander, Zephyr, and Zedric Wolff. Her mother, Susan Smith; brother, John R. Smith; nephew, John R. Smith; brother-in-law, Brett Chapin. She is also survived by Jahonna Chaires. Our family offers condolences to the many lives she touched who cannot be listed here. She was predeceased by her husband, James F. Vreeland III; and her son, Erik Chuley; her close friend, Mae Williams; and her father. The family will have a private viewing. A Celebration of Life will be held at the Astor VFW, 55620 Veterans Dr, Astor, FL 32102, at 12pm on Saturday, January 13th, 2024. A repast will be held at a later date in Schenectady, NY.

Jenny Lee Hartford (Vreeland)

February 19, 1962 - December 29, 2023