Eugenia (Jean) P. Bird (nee Wainwright), age 100, of North Hanover Township NJ, passed away on June 11, 2026, at the Masonic Home in Burlington. Jean was born in Roebling NJ, the oldest in a large family, to the late William H. Wainwright and Edna L. Wainwright (nee Mason) on May 27th, 1926. After moving from Roebling with her family, she grew up on her parent's farm first in Somerville and then Chesterfield NJ. Jean graduated from Pemberton high school in1944. During her 62 years of marriage to the love of her life, E Lester Bird, Jean helped run the daily operations of their dairy and poultry farm while also raising their two sons and working as a secretary for the NJ Air National Guard on McGuire AFB. She retired from the Air National Guard after 27 years of commendable service.

Jean was at her best in the kitchen. Starting at an early age she helped her mother prepare large meals for family and farm hands. She carried those skills into married life and is well-remembered for her feasts of food on the holiday dinner tables. Pies were her specialty with a melt in your mouth crust. When asked for her crust recipe, she would instruct to "mix it until it feels right".

Jean's family was most important to her. She loved her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and extended family and was always there for them. In Jean's later years, she and Lester loved to travel, visiting family or traveling with family to new destinations. Other hobbies were playing cards with her grandchildren and friends, constructing puzzles, shopping for clothes and playing her weekly games of Mahjongg.

Jean was preceded in death by her parents William and Edna, her husband Lester Bird, her son William L Bird, her siblings: twin sister Josephine Richardson (nee Wainwright), Elsie Wainwright, Lois Barrett (nee Wainwright), Margaret Crawford (nee Wainwright) and Willam Wainwright.

Family left to cherish her memory are son; Wayne Bird and wife April (nee Davis), daughter in law Gayelynn Bird (nee Christianson), grandchildren; Willam L Bird Jr and Melissa (nee Wurpel), Robert Bird and Carla (nee Monastero), Stephanie Bird Lippincott and Calvin, Briana Bird and Jason Kelley, Denver Bird and Kate (nee Ruch) great grandchildren; Caryce Wilkins (nee Shinn) and Jeremy, Miranda Nicholl, Robert Bird Jr, Anthony Nicholl, Henry Kelley, Emerson Bird and Olive Bird and great great-grandchild; River Wilkins, Beloved Sister; Ann Boike and many nieces and nephews.

Family and friends are invited to attend a Celebration of Life gathering for Jean on Monday, June 22, 2026, from 10 AM to 12 PM at Tilghman Funeral Home located at 52 Main Street, New Egypt, NJ 08533. A funeral service will begin at 12 PM at the funeral home with burial to follow at Jacobstown Cemetery located on Schoolhouse Road,

Wrightstown, NJ.

In Lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made in Jean's memory to

Cookstown Methodist Church or Alzheimer's Association (www.alz.org)

16 Main Street Cookstown, NJ 08511