Jennifer Lee Kronfeld (née Melson), 68, of Front Royal, Virginia passed away on Wednesday, May 17, 2023 at her home following a long battle with metastatic breast cancer.
Jenny was born on October 8, 1954 in Fredericksburg, Virginia to Roger Melson and the late Mary Louise Shackleford Melson.
She was a beloved and devoted wife, mother, and friend.
Jenny graduated from Walsingham Academy in Williamsburg, Virginia in 1973 and attended George Washington University for two years, studying special education.
She dedicated her life to caring for others and educating children and was a Kindergarten and First Grade teacher at Powhatan School in Boyce, Virginia for 30 years until her retirement in 2021.
Jenny loved creating handmade cards and sending notes and special gifts to her family and friends. She enjoyed the peacefulness of the outdoors, spending much time on her patio with her camera watching the hummingbirds and waiting for the neighborhood bear to stop by.
She also dedicated her time to the greater community. After her breast cancer diagnosis in 2005 she became a volunteer with the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life of Clarke County, where she served as the event chairperson for five years.
Surviving are her husband of 43 years Howard Kronfeld of Front Royal; son Adam Kronfeld and daughter-in-law Moria Morrissey of Burke, Virginia; daughter Madeline Kronfeld of Fairfax, Virginia; sister Markey Melson of Dunnellon, Florida, and her granddoggies Buffy and Bowie.
A celebration of Jenny’s life will be held on Saturday, June 10 at 1:00 pm at Powhatan School in Boyce, Virginia.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, Maryland 21741 or at donate.cancer.org.
I’m so sorry for your loss. She was a wonderful and kind person that will be missed by many!
I loved Mrs. Kronfeld!! I’m so sorry to hear of this. Let me know when the service is so we can hug it out… ❤️
Jenny you will live on in your family. You were their rock! No more pain and suffering for you my longtime friend.❤️
Rest in peace dear friend. Your smile, laughter, and love will live on forever in all of our hearts. You touched so many lives. You leave behind a beautiful legacy. You will be missed. Thank you for pouring your heart and soul into all that you did.
Both my children were educated and loved by Jenny. She was such a loving and devoted person who has positively impacted lives too numerous to count. As a Mom I am eternally grateful for her presence in my kids lives and for her patience and care. When I told my oldest, now 17, that Mrs. Kronfeld had passed she teared up and started talking about how vividly she remembers her saying “what’s up buttercup” when she and her best friend Tenley would come running to her to help figure out yet another 1st grade argument about who won what game. Most teens would not remember so fondly a teacher from that long ago. May peace and comfort be with your family during this time. Much love to you all.
I am loving reading these heartfelt comments about our much-loved friend and inspiration. Jenny was that and so much more to her many, many friends. I can hear her cackle even now. She was positive right up until she floated away from us – that sounds a bit fluffy, but it makes sense to me. Love to you, Howard, Madeline and Adam and Moria.
I’ve known Jenny for forty plus years. From reading these comments it didn’t surprise me that she touched so many souls. She’s always been a caring friend with a loving soul wiling to help anyone. Jenny, until we meet again you will be missed but never forgotten. Our love, prayers and thoughts go out to Puff and family.
I knew Jenny almost from the minute I brought my daughter Clare to Powhatan in 1988. Clare was in Adam’s class and it was Jenny who brought the class together as a family. She and Howard hosted the class each year at their home for a wonderful pot-luck family gathering. Through the years I was so fortunate to have Jenny as a friend, as a teacher to my other three daughters, and as a work colleague. It was rare that I saw her without a smile on her face and a kind word for another. She had patience beyond imagination with the children and all my girls have fond memories of her. Her battle against cancer was exemplary, and indicative of her ever present belief in hope and in her love of life. Howard, Adam and Madeline, hold onto one another and to all her friends who loved her. She will live on in the memories of so many.