M. Jean Bowers passed away peacefully on September 20, 2015 following a brief illness.

Jean was born October 2, 1929 in Ironton, Missouri to William Henry and Charlotte Iola (Kammholz) Wollett. Jean received B.S. degrees in both education and music from Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau and a Master’s degree in education from the University of Missouri in Columbia.

During a foreign deployment to the Philippines as a contract teacher for the United States military, she met and married Robert Wheeler Bowers, a pilot from Iowa.

Eventually settling in Modesto, Calif., Jean was a long-time educator in the Stanislaus Union School District, an active member and former deacon of Trinity United Presbyterian Church and a volunteer for the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary. Jean retired to Orcas Island in 2010.

Jean was preceded in death by her husband Robert in 1999, and by sisters Janet and Val. Jean is survived by children Marc (Koreen) Bowers of St. Louis, Matt Bowers of Modesto, and Rebecca (Nicholas) Johnson of Orcas Island. Jean is additionally survived by three beautiful granddaughters: Naomi, Clarissa, and Charlotte Bowers, all of St. Louis.

Jean will be laid to rest next to her husband in Ironton, Missouri. A memorial service will be held at Orcas Island Community Church at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made in Jean’s name to Orcas Island Community Church: P.O. Box 205, Eastsound, WA 98245.