LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Jeanette Litsey Westerfield, 81, Louisville, died Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022.
Jeanette was born in Leitchfield, Kentucky, on Jan. 31, 1941. She was a 1959 graduate of Shawnee High School in Louisville. She attended Kentucky Wesleyan College and graduated from Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio, in 1965 with a B.S. in Education. Jeanette received her master’s degree from Western Kentucky University in 1968.
On March 11, 1961, she married David A. Westerfield, of Hartford, Kentucky, who went on to serve Methodist / United Methodist congregations in the former Louisville and present Kentucky Conferences for 40 years.
As the wife of a United Methodist Minister, she was able to use her education while employed as a teacher in Bowling Green city, Caldwell County, Todd County, Christian County, Jefferson County, Mclean County, Hancock County, and Hardin County. Jeanette retired from teaching in 1997.
She was very active in leadership of the United Methodist Women during these years, serving eight years as a Director on the Board of Global Ministries in New York before retiring to care for David.
David was truly blessed to have married such a highly skilled musician. Jeanette shared her talents as a pianist, organist, and choir director in many of the churches they served. Most recently she served as the Organist of Beulah Presbyterian Church in Louisville from 2012-2017.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Russell and Kathleen Harrell Litsey; brother, Lee Alvin Litsey; and her husband of 60 years, Rev. David A. Westerfield.
She is survived by her son, Paul Russell Westerfield (Susan), of Louisville, and daughter, Mary Margaret Westerfield Sparrow (Todd), of Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. She was also the proud Grammy/Grandmother to three grandchildren, Megan Kay Sparrow Arnold (Wade), of Lexington, Kentucky, Douglas Frederick Forbes Westerfield, of Louisville, and Sean David Sparrow, of Louisville. Jeanette is also survived by her sister, Marqueta DeJarnette Dutschke (Lenny), five Westerfield brothers-in-law, cousins, nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, and grand-nephews.
A Celebration of her life will be held at Jeffersontown United Methodist Church, 10219 Taylorsville Road, Louisville, KY, at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 8. The family will receive condolences from 9 a.m. until the time of the service at the Church.
Owen Funeral Home-Jeffersontown is entrusted with the arrangements.
In celebration of Jeanette’s life please direct remembrances to: The Kentucky United Methodist Children’s Homes, 1115 Ashgrove Road Nicholasville KY 40356; Jeffersontown United Methodist Church 10219 Taylorsville Road Louisville KY 40299; Global Ministries/UMCOR, GPO, PO Box 9068, New York, NY 10087-9068