Jean was born in Berkeley, California on May 9, 1941 to Bill and Ferdonia Stubblefield and died on December 12, 2023 at the age of 82 after a long fight with Alzheimer’s.
Jean grew up in Hayward, California in a house built from the ground up by her father. She graduated from Castro Valley High School in 1959 and attended San Jose State University for two years. In 1959, she met the love of her life, Bill, who was serving in the U.S. Navy and stationed at Fallon, Nevada at the time. After Bill’s honorable discharge from the U.S. Navy, Bill and Jean were married on February 3, 1962, in Hayward, California.
Bill’s education and career took them from Boise to Denver and then to Los Angeles, Seattle and eventually back to Boise where they remained. Their first child, Jeanette, was born in Denver in August 1965. Mark was born in December 1969, in Boise, and Matthew was born in Bellevue, Washington in August 1973.
Over the years, Jean’s primary vocation was as a housewife and mother, although she worked many jobs throughout the years to make ends meet; to include a grocery clerk, newspaper delivery, home day care and a medical assistant at St. Luke’s Hospital. After retirement, she worked part-time in a quilting store so she could finance her favorite hobby, which was quilting.
Those who knew her, know that she couldn’t sit still and was constantly busy with one of her many hobbies. She was an artist. She saw colors and patterns before she started any project and amazed all with the beauty of her creations. One of her favorite hobbies was quilting and the blankets she quilted for family were all unique and special. She loved to knit, crochet, sew, cross-stitch and various other crafts throughout the years to include the building of miniature houses which she decorated for the holidays.
She was generous and always had a kind word for her family and friends. She loved her dogs and would dote on them day and night.
In addition to all of that, Jean was health conscious and an avid runner up until her 60s. She ran at least three marathons and numerous half-marathons and 10K races throughout the years. She often won first place in her age group for many of these races. Jean loved to hike, backpack and camp in the Sawtooths as well as her favorite place in the world, the Imnaha River. Up until a year or so ago, she and Bill would often go to the gym together and take long walks with the dogs.
Jean is survived by her husband of nearly 62 years, Bill, her daughter, Jeanette, and sons, Mark and Matthew, six grand-children and one great granddaughter. She is preceded in death by her parents, Bill and Ferdonia Stubblefield and her sister, Carole.
A Rosary will be held at 10:00 am on January 4, 2024, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 am at Holy Apostles Catholic Church, Meridian, Idaho. She will then be interred at the Idaho State Veteran’s Cemetery in Boise, Idaho at 2:00 pm.