Jean Jones

Jean Ann Jones was born on September 4, 1938, to Carl and Ruth (Haney) Ross in Pipestone, Minnesota. She was raised on the family farm in Gray Township, Pipestone County, Minnesota. Jean attended and graduated from Pipestone High School in 1956. After graduating high school, she continued her education by attending Mankato Commercial College for a short time before starting her first job at S.I. Case Company in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. A year later she returned to Pipestone and began working at The Federal Land Bank as a secretary. During her 38 years with them she was promoted several times from secretary to loan officer, and finally to an Accredited Rural Appraiser. After retirement from Farm Credit, she formed Jones Appraisal and Marketing and continued to appraise farms until finally retiring to travel and spend time with family. She visited Walt Disney World many times and it was her favorite place to bring her family. She also took many bus trips through the U.S. and Canada, including a cruise to Alaska.

Jean married Duane Jones, the love of her life, on November 28, 1959, at Peace United Methodist Church in Pipestone. Following their marriage, they lived in Pipestone for a short time until they moved to a farm in Gray Township. They resided there until December of 2001, when they moved to a house they built in Pipestone. Together they were blessed with the birth of their daughter, Tamara. Tami and her husband Steven later blessed Jean and Duane with six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Jean absolutely adored spending as much time as she could with her grandkids and great-grandkids. Duane passed unexpectedly on December 2, 2007, but his memories lived on through Jean. 

Jean was a member of Pipestone Assembly of God church. She served on the board for many years and was also the treasurer. She was also a member of the board for Place of Hope, a ministry to the homeless and broken in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Her personal relationship with Jesus was the center of her life. Jean left Pipestone in 2017 to live in Keelson Harbour, in Spirit Lake, Iowa, until December of 2020, when she moved into the Talamore Senior Living Memory Care in St. Cloud. She resided there until her passing on July 22, 2024, at the age of 85 years, 10 months and 18 days. Jean will be lovingly remembered for her passion of traveling and her love of Coca-Cola & chocolate. 

Jean is survived by her daughter, Tamara (Steven) Gewecke of St. Cloud, Minnesota; her brother, James Ross of Redwood Falls, Minnesota; grandchildren, Michael (Rachelle) Gewecke of Spirit Lake, Iowa, Joshua (Lucero) Gewecke of St. Cloud, Justin Gewecke of St. Cloud, Jonathan (Scarlett) Gewecke of Wichita, Kansas, and Zachary Gewecke and Alexander Gewecke, both of St. Cloud; and great-grandchildren, Emily Gewecke, Olivia Gewecke, Evan Gewecke and Levi Gewecke. She was preceded in death by her husband, Duane Jones; her parents, Carl and Ruth Ross; and her brother, Richard Ross.