M. Jean Dibert

YORK – M. Jean Dibert, 97, passed away on April 12, 2019, in her home, following over three months of Hospice Care. She joins her husband Robert who passed away on Sep. 5, 2012 at the age of 92. They were married 69 years. A visitation of family and friends will be held Friday, April 26, 2019 from 11:30-12:30 PM at Heffner Funeral Chapel & Crematory, Inc., 1551 Kenneth Road, York. Immediately following the visitation, a Funeral Mass will be held at 1:00 PM Friday in St. Patrick Catholic Church, 219 S. Beaver Street, York with Rev. Keith M. Carroll officiating. Burial in Holy Saviour Cemetery will take place following the Mass. Born as Mary Jean Dineen on October 25, 1921 in Hornell, New York. She was one of four children to John J. Dineen and Loretta (Kane) Dineen of Hornell NY. She had two brothers, John K. and Robert K. (lost on the USS Arizona, Pearl Harbor) and one sister Anna Patricia. Unfortunately, Jean lost her mother to death when she was only five years old and soon went to live with her Aunt and Uncle, John Charles McAndrews and wife Marie Rosalie (Kane) McAndrews. Five years later she was formally adopted by them, at age 10, and changed her name to McAndrews. “Jean” as she liked to be called, graduated from Hornell High School in 1939 and soon became interested in a career in nursing where she attended Meyer Memorial Hospital in Buffalo. She enjoyed riding the trains to and from Buffalo and later in her life for everyday travel including cross country. There in Buffalo, she met her future husband Robert “Bob” who was working for Curtiss-Wright aircraft and married there on March 6, 1943. Then in 1944, Bob joined the US Navy and was sent west to Santa Rosa, California to lead naval aircraft repair teams for the Pacific theater’s war-torn aircraft. With the exception of visiting Bob once at Santa Rosa during the war, Jean stayed in Buffalo working and in 1945 daughter Karen was born. After the war ended, Bob found a job working for Weis Markets in 1947 and they raised a family with twin sons John and Jim born in 1952 in Jersey Shore PA. In 1956 Bob transferred, by promotion, to a new job as a district meat supervisor for Weis in York. The Dibert finally settled there until present. Jean was a full time mother and housewife raising three children in York and was a very active member in many of the Catholic women’s programs at St. Patrick’s parish. While raising three children, she still found time for local part time jobs working in the cafeterias of Devers Elementary, Lutheran Home and York Hospital. In 1972, tragedy struck the Dibert family after a car accident to son Jim left him paralyzed as a quadriplegic. Jean and Bob remained by his side as home primary caregivers for over 40 years, with Bob caring for Jim until he passed in 2012. But it was Jean with her selfless and dedicated 24/7 expert nursing care of Jim who is clearly responsible for the long life he still enjoys. In a fortunate way, Jean was our family’s “Saint” sent from God who forgot about her dreams or ambitions except to be there day and night to care for Jim and family. Jean was a loving mother to her family, a devoted wife of 69 years and an extraordinary care giver for her son James. Jean is survived by three children, four grandchildren and six great–grandchildren. She and Bob have a daughter Karen and identical twin sons, John and James. Bob and Jean have four grandchildren; granddaughter, Laura and grandson Glenn, children of Karen and husband Joe, also grandsons Benjamin and Matthew, sons of John and wife Phyllis. Bob and Jean have six great-grandchildren; twins Nolan and Jillian and daughter Bellamy, children of Glenn and wife Jennifer; and son Cole to Laura and husband Mark; and finally, Ellie and Jack, children of Benjamin and wife Amy.