Jorgene Wiggin ... owned Red Hat business; at 83

MILTON - Jorgene (Jeannie Potvin) Wiggin of Milton died on Nov. 25, 2023. Jeannie was born Jorgene Dent in Portsmouth on June 21, 1940. The sixth child of Iona Garvey and George Dent of Kittery, Maine. Jeannie attended schools in Dover, graduating with the Dover high School class of 1958. She graduated from Dover high School vocational beauty college and worked for Edyth's beauty salon in Dover for 2 years.

She married Harry Potvin on June 28, 1958, and they moved to California where Harry was stationed at Vandenberg Air Force Base. They lived in Nipomo Calif., where they raised their three girls, Cherryl, Susan and Karen. She worked at Arroyo Grande community hospital in Arroyo Grande as an operating room technologist for 18 years. She completed courses at the hospital and Allen Hancock college and earned her national certification for operating room technologists.

She was also a proud member of the medical team at the Summer Olympics in 1984 in Los Angeles. In 1976, Jeannie was left a young widow when she lost her husband Harry to an airplane accident. She stayed in California to raise her girls and get them through school until 1986 when she married Albert Wiggin of New Hampshire. She returned to her home state with Al and they started their new life together in Milton. Jeannie was a member of the Delta epsilon epsilon sorority in Arroyo Grande and upon her return to New Hampshire she became a member of the operating room technologists association at Wentworth Douglass Hospital in Dover and served as the vice president and treasurer until they disbanded. Jeannie was a member of the Red Hat society and opened her own business selling red hat items for 5 years. she was also a member of the "lunch bunch" walking group for 25 years. Jeannie loved life and was a great friend too many. She was proceeded in death by parents Iona and George dent, a stepmother Rose Abram, first husband Harry Potvin, her sisters Marlene Wiggin of New Hampshire and Erma Purgarich of Santa Maria, California, son in law James Bennett, stepdaughter Diane McManus of New Hampshire, daughter Cherryl Mullins of California and her loving husband Albert Wiggin.

She is survived and lovingly remembered by her daughters, Susan Bennett of California and Karen Potvin of Nebraska, stepdaughter Cindy Fowler of New Hampshire, stepsons Dan Debutts and wife Angelic, and Henry McManus and partner Elaine of New Hampshire. She also has many grandchildren, Portia Sylvester, Travis Sylvester, and Kyle Bartlett of Nebraska, Julia Looney, Jenna Owens and Melissa Mullins of California, Morgan, Blake and Bailey Fowler, and Kate and Marlene McManus of New Hampshire. She also leaves behind 12 great grand children, a sister Brenda Lowe and brothers Bill and Pete Dent.