Jeannie E. Edds Hart

Jeannie Edds Hart, 90, of Naples, FL, formerly of Indianapolis, passed away June 15, 2018. She was born May 14, 1928 in Terre Haute, IN, to the late James H. and Louvina (Grace) Cromwell. Born into a musical family, she was blessed with perfect pitch and could instantly reproduce on the keyboard any composition she heard. She attended Garfield High School. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Special Language Arts from Indiana State University, where she was a member of Chi Omega sorority, and was listed in “Who’s Who Among Students” (1950). While at Indiana State she obtained copyrights for several original musical compositions including songs called “Like a Thief in the Night” and “Stay Awhile.” Upon graduation, she became a speech and hearing therapist. Jeannie married Carl Edds, who became a prominent Indianapolis orthodontist. Together they enjoyed an active life of community involvement and sports. She was President and Province Officer of the service organization Tri-Kappa and a member of Stansfield Circle. Jeannie was a member of the Women’s East Group of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, and was an avid golfer and tennis player. In 1985, Carl preceded her in death. After Carl’s death, she became active in Elderhostel and educational travel, running programs at colleges such as Fordham University in New York, and in such far-flung places as Fiji, Tonga and Western Samoa. In 1991, she married Vance Hart. They divided their time between Indianapolis, Naples, and later Silver Spring, MD. Jeannie and Vance were very active in their local churches. They were charter members of the First Congregational Church of Naples. Jeannie was a member of the church council, co-chair of the membership committee, and wrote features for the newsletter of The Village Protestant Church at Riderwood in Silver Spring. Together they volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, donating their time to construct homes for the less fortunate. Vance Hart preceded her in death in 2017. Jeannie was renowned for her kindness, her affection for people, her poems for all occasions, her gentle wit, and her love of theater and music. Visitation will be Friday, June 22, 2018 from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and Saturday from 4:00 p.m. until the time of service at 5:00 p.m. at Shirley Brothers Fishers-Castleton Chapel, 9900 Allisonville Rd. Jeannie is survived by her children, Elizabeth Edds Kougasian, Ami Susan Petrucelli and John Warren Edds (her son, James Andrew Edds predeceased her); and by her grandchildren, Ethan Ayers Edds, Alexander Kougasian, and Aiden, Bricen and Coleson Petrucelli. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the ALS Association, 1275 K Street, N.W., Suite 250, Washington, D.C. 20005.

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Jeannie E. Edds Hart

May 14, 1928 - June 16, 2018