Jennifer Chitwood

Jennifer Patterson Chitwood, of Medford, Oregon, died unexpectedly on August 5 at the age of 50. A beloved mother, wife, daughter, sister, and friend, Jennifer was deeply caring, passionate, funny, and adventurous. She found her vocation as a teacher who gave all of herself to her students.
Jennifer is survived by her husband Paul Chitwood, her sons, Robbie and Owen Patterson, her mother, Carol Justh, and father, Brian Justh, her brother Mark Justh, her sister-in-law, Lydia Denworth, and her three nephews, Jacob, Matthew, and Alex Justh as well as the extended Justh, Chitwood, and Patterson families. She leaves her family heartbroken but determined to remember her vibrant nature and fierce compassion.
Jennifer was born and raised in Lewisberry, Pennsylvania, where she spent most of her childhood with her best friend and next-door neighbor Paula (Reynolds) Williams. She graduated from Red Land High School in 1989 and from Western Maryland College (later renamed McDaniel College) in 1993, earned a Master’s degree in Child Psychology and Development from the University of Pittsburgh in 1999, and, later, a second Masters in Education Administration from Southern Oregon University.
After several years in Pittsburgh and Annapolis, Jennifer and her first husband, Rob Patterson, moved to Medford, Oregon in 2001. There, she raised her two boys, Robbie, 22, and Owen, 20. They were the lights of her life, and she gave her sons love to last a lifetime. Jen was enormously proud of Robbie’s success as a football player. She rarely missed a game, strove to be the loudest fan on the sidelines, and regularly hosted get-togethers for the team. She was equally proud of Owen’s determination to chart his own course as an entrepreneur and had been excited to see what he did next. She was there when her boys needed her, but also equipped them with the tools they needed to make their own decisions.
In 2011, Jennifer met and married Paul Chitwood, of Medford. Jennifer and Paul had much in common and loved exploring together. Paul has one son, Kodie, two daughters, Jordyn and Miranda, and six grandchildren. Jennifer extended her love to all of them as if they were her own.
Jennifer’s huge heart was evident in everything she did. As a teacher at Phoenix Elementary and Orchard Hill Elementary, Jennifer loved her “kiddos.” They kept her getting up in the morning. She paid extra attention to the students who needed her most, even visiting their families at home when she thought she could be helpful. Outside of the classroom, she struck up conversations and friendships wherever she went and sought to help anyone in need. She didn’t hesitate to buy a stranger a hot meal. At holidays, she enlisted Paul to help hand out goodie bags full of lollipops and cookies to people less fortunate than she was.
Jennifer’s sense of fun and adventure was evident in the many trips she took with her mother Carol and with Mark and Lydia and their boys. She danced on subway platforms, shouted curse words to distract an injured nephew from pain, and famously “cancelled” a grumpy child’s birthday. With Paul, his sister Pennie and her husband Jeff, she hiked, kayaked, or visited local wineries. She was quick to laugh and game for most anything.
A celebration of Jennifer’s life will be held on Wednesday, August 10 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Dunbar Farms, 2881 Hillcrest Road, Medford.