High School Loses ‘a Caring Person’

By Diane Mouskourie, The Daily News, Jacksonville, N.C.

Apr. 13–Smiley faces lit up Jennifer Avery’s office at Jacksonville High School where she was known as "The Smiley Face Woman."

"They were sort of her trademark," said Susie Kinder, principal of Jacksonville High School.

Avery, 45, who had been a guidance counselor at the school for the past two years, died suddenly at home Monday.

"Jennifer was such a wonderful person, mild mannered, always professional and always had the students’ best interest at heart," Kinder said. "She was such a caring person."

Her death surprised everyone who knew her, especially her husband, Donnie Avery.

Since she had the week off from school for spring break, he decided to take the week off as well, he said. The couple had planned to catch up on yard work and plant flowers, he said.

On Monday morning, she cooked breakfast for him and then laid down to rest for a few minutes, he said.

"She had a history of migraine headaches and had had a headache the day before," he said.

She was only going to lay down for 30 minutes, but when he went in to wake her her lips were turning blue.

"The medical examiner said she died of natural causes," Avery said.

The couple met in January 2005 and married in August the same year, he said.

"Jennifer was the most wonderful, most unselfish, most giving person anyone would ever want to meet," he said. "Everybody loved her.

"We were married for eight months and in those eight months I’ve had a lifetime of wonderful times with her."

Jennifer Avery grew up in Duplin County, not far from the Onslow County border. Her mother and father, Annis and Neil Avery, still live there.

"She was a such a special person," Annis Avery said. "Jennifer was a late bloomer and had just earned her master’s degree five years ago so she could become a counselor."

She simply had a way with people, especially children, she said

"This was her first job," she said. "Her (first) husband was in the Air Force. She only went back to school to earn the master’s degree in counseling when she felt her children could take care of themselves."

Avery had just returned to her hometown in Duplin County a few years ago, her mother said.

"Everybody who knew her loved her and I think that would be attested to by anyone you asked," she said. "She wanted to give to other people, whatever it was she had, she wanted to give.

"I will miss her kindness the most, her gentle ways, her knack for making people feel at ease," she added. "She just had a way about her."

At school, Avery was prone to take the hard cases, the students who were having difficulties, she said.

In addition to her husband, Avery is survived by her children, Ross Clay Rigdon of the home and Heather Dawn Rigdon of Richlands; her parents, Annis and Neil Avery of Richlands; a brother, Joseph Horne of Richlands; and a sister, June Horne Jones of Greenville.

The funeral is scheduled for 2 p.m. today at Bethlehem Baptist Church on Gum Branch Road in Jacksonville. The burial will follow at the Horne Family Cemetery in Richlands.

Flowers are welcome, or donations can be made to the National Headache Foundation, 820 N.Orleans Suite 217, Chicago, Ill. 60610 in memory of Jennifer Avery.

Funeral arrangements are by Johnson Funeral Home in Jacksonville.

Contact Diane Mouskourie at dmouskourie@freedomenc.com or at 353-1171, Ext. 235.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Daily News, Jacksonville, N.C.

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